NEWS

Columbia Gas of Ohio, Inc., a subsidiary of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI), has entered into a contingent lease agreement with Nationwide Realty Investors (NRI) to relocate its headquarters from its current location at 200 Civic Center Drive to Nationwide Boulevard in the Arena District. NRI President and COO Brian J. Ellis and Columbia Gas President Jack Partridge made the announcement.

“Downtown Columbus has been a great place to do business for Columbia, and we’re excited to make the Arena District our new home,” said Partridge. “Our teams have put a great deal of work into getting to this point, and we’re looking forward to starting construction.”

“We have worked closely with Columbia Gas and the City of Columbus to develop a creative plan that will not only keep the company downtown, but retain more than 650 jobs in the city,” said Ellis. “This is a great thing for the City of Columbus, Columbia Gas and the Arena District.”

The development plan calls for an investment of more than $50 million by NRI for the construction of two Class A office buildings at 240 and 290 Nationwide Blvd. and is contingent upon NRI successfully obtaining tax incentives. The tax incentive application is pending before Columbus City Council. The two buildings would be connected on the top floors. Columbia Gas would serve as the project’s anchor tenant, occupying approximately 208,000 square feet of the 280,000 square feet of new office space. A new parking garage is also included in the plan.

The Arena District building will provide Columbia Gas with flexible spaces and room for employee growth as opportunities arise to unify employees under one roof and add workers as the company grows its business. Columbia Gas is expected to take possession of the new building in late 2014, after its lease on the Civic Center Drive building expires.