Gahanna Central Park Office Development

Gahanna, Ohio

The Central Park Office Development site is located within Gahanna’s Office, Commerce and Technology (O.C.T.) District. The +/- 195 acre site is divided by a large ravine and is the former home of the Claycraft Brick Factory and City Landfill. Through its involvement with Central Ohio Community Improvement Corp. (founded by Value Recovery Group), the City was able to obtain Clean Ohio Funding to clean up the brownfield site and explore redevelopment opportunities.

Bird Houk Collaborative was hired to create a plan for the adaptive redevelopment of the site, including exploring the reuse potential of the landfill. In addition, BHC was asked to develop a master plan for a high-quality business park with office and industrial development opportunities. Working with the City, the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corp. (COCIC), and potential users, BHC utilized the ravine and the natural features of the site to create a park-like setting for office and business uses. Developable sites located along the ravine and a network of pedestrian trails weave throughout the site, providing views of the Columbus skyline. A golf training academy with driving range and a nine-hole executive golf course serves as an adaptive reuse of the landfill, while providing an amenity not typically found within the business setting.

Both the City of Gahanna and the COCIC viewed this site as an opportunity to stimulate further investment into the City’s O.C.T. District and establish a precedent for quality development and economic growth. BHC’s involvement in the master planning of this project, in tandem with the O.C.T. Zoning Code Project to develop District Design Standards for development, established the basis for achievement of those goals.