On the House: Dublin-area project blossoming
December 6th, 2015
Jim Weiker, The Columbus Dispatch
Thirty minutes from Downtown, in the southeastern corner of Union County, a village is taking shape.
Launched five years ago, when the housing market was in rubble, Jerome Village is starting to resemble the mega-development it will one day become.
More than 250 homes are occupied in the community and another 120 are under construction. That’s still a long way from the 2,200 homes expected when Jerome Village is finished, but the pace has picked up dramatically since central Ohio sales started rebounding in 2012.
The community’s progress has mirrored central Ohio’s economy: modest activity in 2010, some growth after 2012 and now in full swing.
“It’s been growing steadily,” said Tina Guegold, director of marketing for Nationwide Realty Investors, developer of Jerome Village. “Once we got the project started, it just kept growing.”
A massive barn housing Pasquale’s restaurant and overlooking a pool greets visitors to the development. Thirteen builders are working in Jerome Village’s nine neighborhoods, and 11 model homes are open. The result is a sort of shopping center for homes.
While many homes in Jerome Village have been modest by new development standards — selling in the $300,000s — the developer is turning its attention to affluent buyers.
Lots are being prepared for a neighborhood where homes will start at $750,000 and rise to “ several million” dollars, Guegold said.