City seeks cohesiveness for Warehouse District

Brian R. Ball
Business First

The city of Columbus hopes to organize and spur further development in the historic Warehouse District downtown by establishing design standards and identifying capital improvements for the northeast section of downtown. Senior city planner Craig M. Noreen said an eight-month study will catalog structures and empty lots within the district in a bid to promote so-called in-fill development. The emphasis will be on mixed-use development, including residential and office projects, Noreen said. "We hope to bring interest and energies into this area."

The study area is bounded by Grant Avenue on the east, Third Street on the west, the Conrail tracks and I-670 on the north and LaFayette Street on the south. The study would adjust the planning district's formal boundaries, based development patterns. Capital improvements for the area may include street lamps and other streetscape elements to identify the district. James Schimmer, downtown economic development manager, said the district study follows the city's earlier looks at the Discovery and Brewery districts, North Market, Downtown South and Riverfront Commons.

"The Warehouse District is an area of downtown that doesn't have a plan," he said. Scattered development has occurred, but there is a need to preserve the character of the neighborhood, particularly through design standards, Schimmer said. "There's been a lot of development activity and interest," he said. "We want to try to help the real estate community market that area."

Interest in redeveloping the district dates back more than a decade.In fact, several projects that transformed turn-of-the-century buildings to office space have taken place along North Fifth, Neilston and Naghten streets. Also, the Smith Brothers Hardware building, at North Fourth Street and I-670, is being redeveloped for new uses. "There's a lot of activity in the area," said Tim Taylor, CB Richard Ellis office specialist. "There's interest because of its access to Route 315, I-71 and 670, and there's plenty of parking."

Taylor represents a group of California investors that has acquired nine properties in the last 10 years. All but two have been redeveloped. The investors have started a $7 million renovation of a five-story, 135,000-square-foot brick warehouse at 226 N. Fifth St. They also own a six-story, 101,000-square-foot project at 250 Naghten.

Taylor expects development of the Nationwide Arena at the west end of Nationwide Boulevard to benefit the Warehouse District by solidifying the northern sections of downtown. The district buildings' wide-open floors allow for redevelopment into loft apartments, Class A office space, even hotels, Taylor said. The buildings also offer tenants opportunities to create uniquely designed offices with high ceilings and exposed brick interiors.

"If offers something different than the standard Class A office space on Capitol Square," Taylor said.