NEWS

The City of Grandview Heights, Ohio, is sure to become a regional attraction over the next few years, as an exciting new mixed-use development is scheduled to break ground in early 2009. Grandview Yard, an ambitious master-planned retail, office and residential project, not only presents an extraordinary economic opportunity for surrounding communities, but also provides a true mixed-use destination for the entire Central Ohio region. Nationwide Realty Investors (NRI) has released conceptual land-use plans for the $500 million project, which is located less than 2 miles from Ohio State University on the former Big Bear warehouse site just outside of Columbus, Ohio. Grandview Yard is a joint venture owned and developed by NRI, with leasing and construction services provided by Columbus-based Equity.

The project will include between 1.5 million and 2 million square feet of commercial space, featuring a significant specialty and anchor retail component, a number of restaurants, abundant office space, and more than 600 residential units. The Grandview Yard master plan consists of several distinctive, yet connected components, weaving individual neighborhoods and shopping districts together with retail avenues, and a variety of office and residential spaces into a cohesive whole. Three new community parks and significant infrastructure improvements are also included in the master plan.

At 80 acres, Grandview Yard is a large project, but its ultimate success will be predicated on the skillful ways in which the project promises to combine uses and intimate spaces into a larger community fabric. For NRI, the project represents a logical follow-up to the award-winning Arena District development in downtown Columbus. Like the Arena District, Grandview Yard takes the long view; bringing mixed-use elements into play in a way that calls to mind the best features of urban design. A compelling combination of appealing architecture, plentiful green space and ample parking promises to make the project both an accessible and enjoyable place to spend time. With its human scale, dense, lively streetscape, subtle architectural detailing and strong mix of uses, Grandview Yard promises to provide something entirely new to the area. When complete, the project will create a truly dynamic urban community and, perhaps more importantly, will seamlessly integrate that space into the surrounding social and physical infrastructure.

NRI President and COO Brian J. Ellis explains, “We are very excited about the extraordinary potential that exists for Grandview Yard. This will be a dynamic, energy-filled, highly-integrated mixed-use development. It will be retail-centric, pedestrian-friendly and will create outstanding connectivity to the area’s surrounding neighborhoods.”