2014 Newsmaker: Yard, Northstar show Ellis picking up building pace
December 26th, 2014
Brian Ball, Columbus Business First
A dive into the news archives at Columbus Business First in any of the past 15 years will find Nationwide Realty Investors Ltd. President Brian Ellis driving a big piece of the region’s commercial real estate development.
But in the past 12 months, Ellis has stepped on the gas pedal at the real estate arm of Nationwide Mutual Co. he heads, making news in nearly every corner of Central Ohio.
On the housing side, Ellis and co-developer Robert Weiler Co. opened up land surrounding the Northstar Golf Club in southern Delaware County to homebuilders. The project also won the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio’s nod to host the area’s annual Parade of Homes at the golf course near Sunbury next June.
Miles to the south in downtown Columbus, Nationwide Realty continued development of its signature Arena District, unveiling plans to reshape the former Buggyworks industrial complex into 133,000 square feet of offices.
And less than a mile west of downtown, Ellis and Nationwide Realty in May outlined plans to buy the 8-acre Byers Chevrolet showroom and car repair complex at 555 W. Broad St. for redevelopment follow-ing Byers’ relocation to Grove City in January.