A three-story commercial building is currently under construction on Parsons Avenue just south of the Livingston Avenue CVS. Plans for the 36,000 square foot building include a fitness center on the second and third floors and several retail and restaurant storefronts on the first.
Local developer Jeff May, who partnered with Skilken to develop the CVS and also owns the Scrambler Marie’s next door on Livingston, has a long history on the corner. He worked his way up from salesman to owner of Bobb Chevrolet, which moved to a suburban location on West Broad Street in 2008.
“The push from manufacturers has been to eliminate downtown locations,” said May, explaining that his goal has always been to develop the corner in a way that would contribute to the community and build off of the major investment that Nationwide Children’s Hospital has made in the area.
“I’ve had numerous opportunities to do something with our land, but I wanted to hold off and take the time to figure out something special for our neighborhood,” he adds. “I’m not a big developer in town, but I believe that I can bring new and positive retail to Parsons Avenue. I’m an entrepreneur, and I want to support other entrepreneurs in South Columbus.”
May said that he has had conversations with a number of potential tenants for the first floor space, including a deli, a sit-down restaurant, and a salon. He hopes the mix will appeal to both the 9,000-plus employees of hospital, and to residents of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Both groups also offer a potential market for the fitness center, which will have its entrance in the first floor lobby of the building and offer cardio machines, weights, and even dance floors over its 24,000 square feet.
May hopes to wrap up construction by next summer on the building. As for the land that sits behind the new building, which is now being used as parking for the hospital, he said that he is interested in developing it, but was not able to share details on that project yet.
Bob Leighty, Executive Director of the Parsons Avenue Merchants Association (PAMA), hopes that the new three-story building can be a catalyst for additional private development on the historic commercial corridor.
“Jeff May is the role model for our business owners on Parsons Avenue,” says Leighty. “He cares deeply about our neighborhood, and he is investing in South Columbus and South Columbus entrepreneurs.”
Renderings via Neighborhood Design Center.