ADVERTISEMENT

    With Commission Split on Approval, Kaufman Project On Hold

    Kaufman Development’s plan to build a mixed-use development on the former IBEW land between West Second and Price Avenues is on hold after the latest iteration of the project failed to gain the support of the Victorian Village Commission last night.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “Despite great support from the broader Columbus community and several members of the Victorian Village Commission, we were unfortunately unable to demonstrate to the majority of the commission our proposal’s appropriateness,” CEO Brett Kaufman said in an email to Columbus Underground. “We will take a step back and take some time to consider all options.”

    The project has called for a mix of office, retail and residential uses since it was first proposed in the summer of 2016. It has been before the commission many times over the course of the last two years, including each of the last four meetings since April. Residents shared their thoughts about the project at each of those meetings, with the majority of them expressing opposition to the development.

    One big sticking point has been the height and overall size of the project. A version of the proposal – which called for the tallest part of the building to be nine stories – was approved by the commission in March of 2017, but the Kaufman team came back with a series of design changes in December of last year (which required another vote of approval).

    Brett Kaufman told CU at the time that those changes were needed “so that we have something that really functions, and that we can build – that we can afford to build and get financed – and that works in the market.”

    The latest iteration of the plan called for the tallest part of the project to be ten stories.

    Although an official vote was not held, three commissioners signaled support for the project and three expressed opposition. One seat is vacant on the seven-person board.

    The developer did not ask for the application to be continued, which means the project will not automatically appear on the agenda for next month’s meeting.

    See below for a sampling of the different proposals.

    A rending of the Second Avenue side of the development, as presented last night to the Victorian Village Commission.

    A proposal from April of this year.

    The project as proposed in December of 2017.

    The Second Avenue view of the December 2017 proposal.

    The approved design from last March.

    rendering1
    The Second Avenue side of the approved design from March 2017.

    The original proposal from July of 2016.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Subscribe

    More to Explore:

    Before and After: Gay Street

    Last month, the City of Columbus and other partners...

    COTA Hires New CEO

    Just over a month after Joanna Pinkerton announced she...

    COTA Lands $42 Million Federal Grant for First Transit Corridor

    The Central Ohio Transit Authority has been awarded $41.9...

    City to Triple Funding for Community Shelter Board

    The City of Columbus announced this week that it...

    The Confluence Cast: Grave Matters – Unearthing the North Graveyard

    There is often a complex interplay between preservation and progress. A year into his exploration, Columbus Underground reporter Jesse Bethea continues to sift through the story of how the removal of remains from what was once the North Market parking lot unfolded. From the contentious removal of centuries-old graves to the forensic analysis of unearthed remains, today’s episode navigates the ethical, legal, and emotional complexities surrounding the issue.  In the quest to honor the past while embracing the future, we examine what lies beneath the surface of urban development and confront the ghosts of history that still shape our city today.
    Brent Warren
    Brent Warrenhttps://columbusunderground.com/author/brent-warren
    Brent Warren is a staff reporter for Columbus Underground covering urban development, transportation, city planning, neighborhoods, and other related topics. He grew up in Grandview Heights, lives in the University District and studied City and Regional Planning at OSU.
    ADVERTISEMENT