Reynoldsburg's 2019 Development Deep Dive
In 2018, the City of Reynoldsburg adopted a plan with a clear objective; increasing it’s capabilities and readiness to overhaul the city’s development. The comprehensive plan is, at this time, inconsequential to facts in the city’s obstacle filled road of development. Though it’s pages are littered with detailed graphs and proposed additions to the city; it has no effect on actual zoning ordinance, subdivision regulation, or budget. It’s purpose, however, is exactly that; to lay down a foundation which acts as a guide for the city. It’s propositions are brave, and justifications for such an overhaul are spearheaded by the City’s development director Andrew Bowsher. We sat down with Andrew to learn more about the city’s past, present, and future in development. This article contains details from the comprehensive plan itself and direct quotes from Andrew Bowsher.
When we arrived at Reynoldsburg’s city hall and began talking with Mr. Bowsher, we could see that the plan which was conceived before Andrew’s hiring in Reynoldsburg, acted as the main proponent of change in the city. Everywhere our conversation went, words and ideas expressed in the comprehensive plan followed. Mr.Bowsher displayed a focus on a few key ideas, all of which contributed to the main aspects of what he is optimistically labeling as the “revitalization of key parts of the city.”
As we got into our discussion, we couldn’t help but ask about how the comprehensive plan came to be. One of the most important things for any local plan, is the support from the community around it. After all, it’s these Reynoldsburg citizens who play an integral role in funding the changes in development. It was clear that Andrew Bowsher, and the team which put together the master plan, focused a large part of their energy on insuring this community is supporting it.
“It was pretty much a labor of love for the past year. We enacted a steering committee, brought [the plan] to a couple of community events, and did some outreach through cell phone and internet surveys. We were able to get the consensus from people here in the local community. We were able to take their needs, wants, and goals for the city and focus on some of the key aspects of areas that need revitalization.” Said Bowsher.
The comprehensive plan reflects this. An entire section breaks down a detailed study conducted by the city, in which three hundred residents were asked a bevy of questions. Some of the most important things for residents included the transformation of under performing and vacant retail space, promoting the cohesive community feel of Reynoldsburg throughout the city, and growing Olde Reynoldsburg as a local and regional destination. These goals seem lofty, but Mr. Bowsher seemed optimistic about the future Reynoldsburg has. Although the plan looks to enact change in a massive twenty year span, Mr. Bowsher pointed out some of the projects which would begin to change in the next three to five years. Particularly, Mr. Bowsher was optimistic about the transformation of Olde Reynoldsburg.
“The largest [area] which will have the most impact right now is Olde Reynoldsburg. [Here] We’re working with some key developers and you’ll see what is really the first of it’s kind in terms of development. Think Grandview, think ‘Creek side’ in Gahanna. Those are some of the aspects you can aspect to see in the next five years in that area.”
Though the area of Olde Reynoldsburg is a concentration for development, the comprehensive plan outlines other areas across the city that are focuses of the city’s development plan. These sites include the vacant K-Mart property on the Brice and and Main corridor, the existing Kroger site at Briarclif and Main street, and the intersection of Brice and Livingston. The plan has a slew of possible solutions for these areas, all taking into account the economy and future of central Ohio.
Vacant K-Mart Area
The vacant K-Mart on the intersection of Brice Road and Mainstreet is currently still vacant, and no serious developer seems to be interested in revamping the old department store. The comprehensive plan mentions the fact that the property is of no interest to big box stores, mainly because these stores prefer larger clusters of retail spaces (much like areas in Easton). Instead, the plan proposed the area be re-purposed as a combination of retail, residential, and green space. The area is located on one of the City’s main corridors, insuring those visiting the city are left with a great first impression. To get to this point, the city would need to make several infrastructure improvements which fit into subcategories, these include; a traffic impact study, utility evaluation, water-main, sanitary, and roadway. In exchange, a budding developer would only need to improve the space’s storm water drainage.
Existing Kroger Site
The existing Kroger space located on Briarcliff road and Main Street will be vacated by it’s current owner, Kroger, for the new location being built on Main Street and Rosehill Road. Because of it’s proximity to Olde Reynoldsburg and City Hall, the area is considered an important asset to the city’s visual appeal. The plan currently wishes to utilize the area as commercial space that would coincide with the Ohio Health facility located near it. The plan mentions the beautification of Main Street to the front of the massive property, which can possibly attract new commercial developers to the area. It’s improvement categories match those of the K-Mart site.
Intersection of Brice Road and Livingston
The comprehensive plan for the city of Reynoldsburg takes into account the massive gap this area must overcome to transform into an attractive place for development. It cites the disinvestment and change the retail marketplace has gone through, and takes no time to state that Reynoldsburg’s master plan can only be successful with a massive reduction in the City’s retail space. The plan goes on to propose the area become a space for “creativity”. Specifically, the plan will rezone the area form it’s existing “community commerce” to a newly defined “innovation” space.
Reynoldsburg’s Future
Mr. Bowsher continued our conversation by highlighting the changes coming to central Ohio, and how Reynoldsburg is preparing for those changes. He starts by mentioning the most pressing change in the area; population. In an estimation done by MORPC (mid Ohio regional planning commission), central Ohio will see a total of three million new residents by the year 2050. Though its safe to to presume these population shifts won’t concentrate on Reynoldsburg alone, it hastens the process of development within city government. Without the proper housing, retail, and attractive downtown areas mentioned in the plan, Reynoldsburg could be last on the list of new families in central Ohio. Mr.Bowsher is optimistic however, and thinks Reynoldsburg’s foundation for development is strong.
“Where are those individuals [new residents] going to be located? That’s a really big priority for us. Our estimates garner somewhere between twelve to fifteen thousand new residents [in Reynoldsburg] by 2050. That’s roughly up to a third or a half of where we’re at currently. So where do we place those individuals?”
That’s a key piece of the development puzzle in Reynoldsburg. It simply doesn’t have the current capacity to hold such growth. Without new development, the city could risk losing potential families and renters alike. With the city reluctant to accept apartment complex’s already proposed, the pressure is on the comprehensive plan to create areas attractive enough for a bevy of new developers. But that pressure is elevated when taking into account the traffic density problems the city faces, which have already been cause for concern in the community. Mr. Bowsher is confident that strategic planning, and the utilization of different areas of the city, are important factors in improving Reynoldsburg’s standing. He also mentions the importance of keeping residents already in Reynoldsburg happy.
“We’re going to have to get smart along some key areas. We’re going to have to get dense along our corridors, but we need to make sure we’re keeping the single family homes up to date. We don’t want to push anyone out, at the same time we want to be as inclusive as we possibly can to new [residents] coming in. So it’s a fine line because we want to make sure we’re taking care of our current residents, but we also need to look forward to the future for new residents as well.”
Reynoldsburg is approaching a massive year in development. With key projects already starting, including the YMCA adjacent to city hall, the city only has so much time before new families begin to move to central Ohio. While we already offer plenty for new families, like the rising innovation of our public schools, it’s important to do all we can to help our city grow to it’s greatest potential. City officials are optimistic about the future, and say that the comprehensive plan is the first step in the right direction for Reynoldsburg.
As always, for more on Reynoldsburg, follow #thisisreynoldsburg on all social platforms and stay tuned for more content focusing on our local community.
