For nearly 100 years, United Way has been working to improve the lives of others by mobilizing the caring power of our community. For this reason, after deciding in late 2021 to sell our headquarters at 360 S. Third St. in downtown Columbus, we sought a developer who could purchase the property and redevelop it into affordable housing. Today, we’re excited to announce that we’ve signed an agreement with Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) and national nonprofit The Community Builders (TCB).
The organizations will develop and construct a $70 million, 12-story property with approximately 135 mixed-income housing units, plus commercial space on the first two floors. United Way of Central Ohio’s Real Estate Task Force applied due diligence when reviewing the proposals to purchase and redevelop the property. As a result, we are confident the CMHA-TCB team will improve and enhance the community for residents who already live and work in the area. The drawing depicts a rendering of how the new building could look.
The redevelopment of the property comes amid a well-documented shortage of affordable housing in central Ohio. Only 29 affordable housing units are available for every 100 extremely low-income households in the Columbus and Franklin County area. Moody Nolan will lead the design team. Headquartered in Columbus, it is the country’s largest African American-owned and -operated architectural firm.
The new building will feature apartment rental options that set a new Columbus standard for mixed-income housing. They will be indistinguishably woven throughout the property, with at least 5% of units accommodating physical, visual and auditory accessibility. The property is slated for completion in late 2025 to early 2026.
A plan is in development for United Way to move into a collaborative space that creates greater alignment among nonprofits, establishes shared services and offers greater efficiencies. Additional information will be shared later this year.
