The rendering provides a general idea of where elements will be placed.[/caption]

In February the city issued a request for qualifications from firms interested in redeveloping a 9-acre site that was once home to a county courthouse and annex building. Seven applications were received, three interviews were held and the final two firms were asked to present their qualifications to City Council during the May 19 council meeting. Ultimately the city chose to work with Columbus Realty Partners, who presented a proposed land plan during the Nov. 3 council meeting.

The plan outlines the general locations for roughly 265 apartment units, 20,000 square feet of retail, a five-level parking garage and 45,000 square feet of office space.

“The first big idea was we felt like we needed to put the street grid back in,” said Robert Shaw, managing partner of Columbus Realty Partners.

Shaw said Chestnut Street would be extended west of nearby Chestnut Square and will run north and south between Anthony Street and Davis Street. Another street would be added running east and west between Tennessee Street and Chestnut.

“The other big idea was to minimize the amount of surface parking, and that meant we would need a parking structure,” Shaw said. “We located the structure, which is basically wrapped by buildings except for the entrances and exits to it, in the middle of the site.”

Shaw said the proposed five-level parking structure would include two levels of public parking for the site’s retail stores as well as general public parking.

“That’s about 200 parking spots dedicated to the public in the parking garage,” Shaw said. “Plus there are more than 100 spaces bordering the property in a traditional parallel parking style as on any traditional city street.”

Retail space is proposed to be developed along Davis in hopes of extending foot traffic past the Chestnut Square. Shaw said he wanted to be sure to
provide outdoor dining at the corner of Tennessee and Davis streets, adding that shoppers would see
it and would be drawn from Chestnut Square to the proposed site.

Shaw will continue to update the council before final plans are presented and voted upon.