12.15.2023

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Today’s Forecast

38º | Cloudy | 10% chance of precipitation | Sunrise 7:53 a.m. | Sunset 5:23 p.m.

🛠️ Your 2023 wrapped, development edition

Top 12 development stories for 2023 in Columbus

Can you recall all 12 months of development headlines? | Photo via Canva

Take a look at Columbus as you know it. After this year of construction news, it’s bound to look different in the very near future. Here are the top projects contributing to that change.

December

Central Ohio + the rest of the state took the first steps in bringing passenger rails to Ohio. Many Amtrak corridors will be studied using federal funding, and two of those corridors would connect CBUS to major cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.

November

The Ronald McDonald House of Columbus is now the largest in the world. The nonprofit received extensive renovations and reopened with 220,000 sqft of space to support families of kids at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

CBUStoday Midwest Connect corridor — This proposed corridor would also connect CBUS to Pittsburgh. | Rendering via State of Ohio Rail Plan

October

A linear park that will stretch 58 acres received $5 million in funding from Columbus City Council. It’s now known as the Linden Green Line, connecting Linden and Northland via a defunct train track, and crews will begin clean up and construction next year.

September

Amazon Web Services invested $3.5 billion in New Albany to create five new data centers that will assist in online shopping, streaming, video games, and music. New Albany is the first community confirmed as part of AWS’s planned investment of $7.8 billion to expand data center operations.

What changes would you like to see at the airport? | Photo via Brand Columbus

August

John Glenn International Airport announced it will build a new $2 billion, state-of-the-art terminal to create a more passenger-friendly experience. It’s currently projected to be finished in 2029.

July

Hollywood Casino announced it would break ground on a 200-room hotel in the fall. Most recently, the casino celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony at the end of November, and it will be built over the next year.

6 more development headlines

Events

Friday, Dec. 15

Dave & Jimmy’s Not So Silent Night | Friday, Dec. 15 | 7 p.m. | KEMBA Live!, 405 Neil Ave., Arena District | $40-$99 | This holiday tradition features the co-hosts of WNCI 97.9, Jared Leto, and a musical performance by LANY.
Jim Brickman | Friday, Dec. 15 | 7:30 p.m. | Southern Theatre, 21. E. Main St., Downtown | $34-$54 | This Cleveland-born pianist will play a collection of holiday songs and carols.

Saturday, Dec. 16

Mr. Scrooge: The Musical | Saturday, Dec. 16-Saturday, Dec. 23 | Times vary | Riffe Center Theatre Complex, 77 S. High St., Columbus | $19-$29 | Watch this kid-friendly version of the holiday classic presented by local performers.
Mic’d Up Mutts | Saturday, Dec. 16 | 7-10 p.m. | The Garrison Barbershop, 275 S. 4th St., Downtown | $15-$25 | Laugh along with a handful of local comedians at this bi-monthly showcase.

Sunday, Dec. 17

Ohio State Autumn Commencement | Sunday, Dec. 17 | 2 p.m. | Schottenstein Center, 555 Borror Dr., Campus | Free | Celebrate with the latest batch of Buckeye alumni as they obtain their degrees.

Monday, Dec. 18

Trivia Night | Monday, Dec. 18 | 7-9 p.m. | Bada Bean Bada Booze, 527 W. 5th Ave., Harrison West | Free | Bring your friends for a night of quiz-style trivia, drinks, and appetizers.

100+ more local events

Click here to have your event featured.

Cause

Duke Energy Foundation shows its support for local businesses

three people stand in a store holding a giant check

Businesses can use the funds for everything from physical space adaptability + beautification and technology improvements to professional development training costs. | Photo provided by Duke Energy

Small business owners in southwest Ohio received some extra holiday cheer from local chambers of commerce + the Duke Energy Foundation to kick off the season. The Small Business Assistance grant program awarded $175,000 to support 35+ minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses.

Since 2020, the Duke Energy Foundation has provided ~$880,000 to help small businesses in southwest Ohio and northern Kentucky survive and rebound from the pandemic.

See which businesses were selected for this year’s grants below.

News Notes

Development

Keep an eye on this. Three developers plan to meet with local commissioners to propose and discuss three separate projects on Tuesday, Dec. 19. The projects are: A rooftop pool addition to The Peninsula, new apartment units on Spring Street, and new apartments on Gay Street. (The Columbus Dispatch)

Ranked

Columbus was ranked the No. 14 city for best real estate in the US, according to Clever. The online publication cited our local rent price, average income, and price per square foot to determine the score. Cincinnati was ranked No. 6 and Cleveland was ranked No. 2. Ohio is clearly the best.

Opening

Wario’s Beef and Pork announced plans to open a new location in Clintonville in 2024. The popular sandwich shop will open at 4219 N. High St. sometime in January, according to the owner. (The Columbus Dispatch)

Biz

Home2 Suites by Hilton is joining the Hilliard TruePointe development. The hotel features 115 rooms, a fitness facility, and a pool. Crews will begin the build in spring 2024 + should finish in 2025. (Columbus Business First)

Plan Ahead

The Ohio State Fair will return to Columbus from July 24-Aug. 4, 2024. Looking for more state fair fun? Nearly every central Ohio county announced its fair dates, including Delaware + Hilliard. (NBC4)

Number

40,000+ followers. That’s the latest milestone CBUStoday just achieved on Instagram. Thank you for following, liking, and sharing all our posts throughout 2023. We can’t wait for 2024.

Wellness

Planning for personal growth and emotional well-being in 2024? Connect with a licensed therapist on BetterHelp in just 48 hours + get 25% off your first month.*

Finance

This no-annual-fee balance transfer offer now lasts until 2025. Transferring your existing balance to a no-interest card could be the simple solution you’re looking for to finally get ahead of your payments. (Oh, and it offers cash back rewards on everyday purchases.)*

Community

🐘 On the move

Columbus Zoo to welcome an adult elephant from Saint Louis Zoo

Asian elephant Raja. | Photo by JoEllen Toler/Saint Louis Zoo

What does an elephant do when it needs to move across the country? Pack its trunks.

That’s the case for Raja and Jade, two adult Asian elephants who will move from the Saint Louis Zoo to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The elephants are expected to move in late 2024 or early 2025.

Did you know elephants are on the verge of extinction? That’s why these two are making the trek. Raja, a 31-year-old male, will eventually breed with one of four different female elephants at the Zoo. Additionally, Raja will be tasked with mentoring a young male calf in CBUS.

Then there’s his daughter Jade, a 17-year-old pregnant elephant. She is about 10 months along in the process, and elephants are pregnant for roughly 22 months. The gender of the calf is currently unknown.

The Buy

The Buy 12.15.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

This smart mug warmer that keeps beverages the temperature of your choice and has automatic shut-off.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Mitch

From the editor

Happy Friday, CBUS. In just 11 days, I’ll be on an airplane to Brazil. That means I need some entertainment recommendations. What book should I read? What show should I binge watch? What’s your favorite hidden gem movie? Know of any good mobile games?

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