GRANDVIEW Project Progress

Grand opening of Apartments at Grandview Yard marks expansion

The Grandview Yard project is in the midst of bringing a 90-acre plot of abandoned land back to life.

The first residents of Apartments at Grandview Yard will begin moving into the first completed building of 46 urban-style luxury apartments in October. One-bedroom, two-bedroom and townhome units are all offered. The two other apartment buildings will be ready for residents in December and February. The properties lease quickly, with occupancy numbers changing daily, says Tina Guegold of Nationwide Reality Investors.

A Giant Eagle grocery store to be built on the site’s north end is planned for completion in late 2013. By the entire project’s conclusion, Grandview Yard will offer between 1.5 and 2 million square feet of pedestrian walkways, shopping and entertainment, as well as additional dining and office space, Guegold says.

Patrik Bowman, Grandview Heights’ director of development, says the project has multiple benefits to the community.

“The project extends not only to the creation of public streets to form a new neighborhood, but also to the sustainability goals of City Council with respect to an ability to walk to various destinations, including to work,” Bowman says. “The development also allows the city to diversify its commercial base. New office space and future retail will bring both large and small firms to the community, lessening a dependence on one or two large employers.”

The project is not being carried out in specific phases, but is developed based on market demand.

So far, the retail portion of Grandview Yard consists of Urban Active Fitness, Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill, Jason’s Deli, Massage Envy Spa and the Hyatt Place Columbus/OSU Hotel.

By Olivia Ohlin

The Yard also houses the offices of Holbrook & Manter, CPAs; M+A Architects; Weber & Associates; Willis of Ohio, Inc. and Schindler Family Dentistry.

Nationwide Reality Investors began acquiring land for the project in 2007 and began construction in September 2010, says Guegold. Bowman says Grandview Yard’s location provides easy access from state Rt. 315 and I-670 as well as the intersection of Olentangy River Road and Goodale Boulevard, which experiences significant traffic flow. It’s also a short distance from The Ohio State University, the Battelle Memorial Institute, the Arena District, the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Lennox Town Center.

The land that Grandview Yard is situated on was once the home of Big Bear Warehouses, the nation’s largest refrigerated warehouse. It provided jobs and tax revenue throughout the Grandview Heights area before the company’s bankruptcy and closure in 2004.