Columbus development officials on Tuesday gave an initial review to plans for a 12-story apartment building Downtown, a pivotal component of the Capitol Square Renaissance project.
The tower, developed by Edwards Companies, will be situated on a parking lot on South Fourth Street, connecting the existing Preston Centre building with the broader Capitol Square Renaissance development. This tower marks a significant phase in a $600 million initiative to transform several blocks of Downtown into a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use district.
Josh Thomas, a project manager with Kephart Architects involved in the design, stated during Tuesday’s meeting that the building will feature ground-floor retail space and two floors of parking. Above will be nine floors of residential units, including studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as two-story penthouses. The rooftop is set to include amenities such as a pool, clubhouse, and grilling stations.
The 12-story tower joins a growing collection of buildings within the Capitol Square Renaissance, a project that received up to $33 million in state tax credits this year through Ohio’s Transformational Mixed-Use Development Program. These tax credits aim to support the redevelopment of underutilized Downtown areas into more pedestrian-friendly environments with new residences, retail, offices, and public parks.
The redevelopment plan includes more than 1,000 new residential units, nine restaurants, nearly 200,000 square feet of office space, and multiple structured parking decks over approximately 10 acres south of East Broad Street.
Edwards Companies has already completed the Preston Centre, a mixed-use conversion of the former PNC Tower that includes residential units and dining venues like Butcher & Rose steakhouse. Another recent addition is the Pembroke building at 195 E. Broad Street, a 15-story residential tower that opened this spring with 164 apartments.
The 12-story tower is designed to serve as a link between these completed phases and future developments planned for Capitol Square Renaissance. Future projects include a sister building across South Fourth Street and a 10-story residential building adjacent to the Ohio Statehouse, which is expected to feature Capitol Park, a new public green space within the development.
Edwards Companies aims to continue construction with the goal of completing the entire development by mid-2030, a timeline projected to generate thousands of construction and permanent jobs in the Columbus area.