What Experts Say:
LinkUs Foundation Report:
This property is one of only a handful with "High Development Potential" in the report’s vision for growth and development.
Northwest Area Plan:
“Office, institutional, medical and/or multifamily are recommended for this 20-acre site."
Zone In's Goal:
“Alleviate the stark disparities in access to opportunities, public health inequities, and the mismatch between the location of jobs, housing, and those who need better access to both.”
The Next Step:
Approve the Zimmerman Site for Zone In Phase One
The Zimmerman Property:
Immediate Help for Our Housing Needs
To help our people and our economy, Columbus needs to replace the old City zoning plan that benefited only certain parts of Columbus with a new set of incentives encouraging new housing across the community, especially for mid and lower-income populations.
Columbus Zone In Plan Goal:
April 2023 Zone In Incentive Areas (Click to enlarge)
I really want to see the private sector invest in some disruption to help us figure out how to get more housing units faster.
— Mayor Ginther, May 21, 2024, Columbus Business First
The Zimmerman site at Henderson and Olentangy River Road is a perfect fit for Zone In priorities.
This 20-acre site, one of the largest parcels of undeveloped land in northwest Columbus, can accommodate no fewer than 400 housing units without congestion, with many units targeted for workforce housing. Furthermore, the property's vacant status means new Zimmerman housing can be built quickly, unlike the vast majority of parcels in the Zone In plan whose owners must first unwind mortgages and rental contracts before construction can start.
Unlike many urban renewal projects, no homes or historic districts or landmarks will be destroyed and no residents will be displaced.
Multifamily housing at this location is 100% compatible with nearby parcels which are commercial or multifamily uses or separated by major traffic barriers with Hwy. 315 to the east and Henderson Road to the south, which is up to six lanes wide and has a 50 mph speed limit.
Future residents will have immediate access to BRT/public transportation, as the property is situated directly along Olentangy River Road, the LinkUs corridor for northwest Columbus, and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service.
On-site parking will also be available for all residents, with access to and from the site via existing intersections and several potential access points to main roads, supplementing current COTA and future LinkUs public transportation options.
Water and sewer capacity were addressed by City leaders in 2021 with the authorization of $267 million in sewer and water infrastructure improvements for northwest Columbus. This paves the way for immediate development, without major additional public investment. These funds include $1.8 million to specifically address the needs of the neighborhoods closest to the Zimmerman property.
LRT and BRT Routes
Map of Adjacent Parcels (Click to enlarge)
"Active Transportation" options are easily accessed by foot or bicycle via the Olentangy River Trail, a central corridor within the planned Central Ohio Greenways network of 230+ miles of connected trails.
With a creek on the 20-acre property, the site qualifies for the City's Stream Corridor Protection Plan. Development under Phase One Zone In can align with the Protection Plan, leveraging the creek as an environmentally friendly feature, not a hindrance.
Dozens of other sites near this property are already included in the Zone In Phase 1 plan.