Ohio State University is looking to turn 10 acres of farm land into a 450-unit apartment development. The Office of Planning and Real Estate posted a request for proposals (RFP) on its website Monday, seeking developers interested in building on the northeast corner of Kenny Road and Woody Hayes Drive.
The RFP calls for OSU to maintain ownership of the land, and requires rents to be “at least 25% below the market rate of units in apartment communities within 10 miles of campus.”
The proposal appears to be designed to provide housing for the graduate students and families who currently live in Buckeye Village. A portion of that complex, located south of Ackerman Road and west of Olentangy River Road, will be torn down this summer to make way for the new Covelli Multi-Sport Arena. OSU’s recently-released Framework 2.0 plan calls for graduate housing to be located elsewhere on campus, but it does not specify a location.
“Though there will be no restriction on who can lease units in the project, the university desires that the apartments be prioritized for 1) students with families and 2) graduate students,” the RFP states. “This will be a vibrant and globally diverse living community to include students and their families from all over the world.”
Other terms laid out in the RFP call for green space, a community center, and surface parking lots that provide one space per residential unit. The preferred unit mix is 100 one-bedroom apartments and 350 two-bedroom apartments.
Current rents at Buckeye Village, as listed online, are $535 per month for a one-bedroom unit and $675 for a two-bedroom unit. Rent Jungle lists the average price of a one-bedroom apartment in Columbus as $829 per month.
The deadline for the submittal of proposals is March 10.
The full RFP can be found at www.pare.osu.edu.