Photo provided Photo shows work Milestone is doing extending the northern end of Carr Hill Road to the west. It’s required by INDOT for the developer of the former Clarion site to get access to Johnson Boulevard.
Columbus Redevelopment Commission members agreed to put forward funds needed to design an extension of Car Hill Road, a component required by the state as a Midwest-based real estate firm is intending to develop the long-vacant former site of the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center.
The redevelopment commission on Monday approved $19,000 in central tax-increment-financing (TIF) funds to pay Milestone Design Group in order finalize plans for an extension of the northern end of Carr Hill Road to the west. The extension is required by Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) in order for a potential developer of the site at 2480 W. Jonathan Moore Pike to get needed access to Johnson Boulevard.
Midland Atlantic Properties is planning to develop the former Clarion property. The Columbus Plan Commission last week gave preliminary plat approval to the site, which will consist of seven lots and one common area totaling 20.73 acres. Four of the commercial lots are proposed to have frontage on Jonathan Moore Pike.
The potential development of the former Clarion site marks the latest turn of events after Columbus Regional Health bought the property in 2017 for $4.25 million. The hotel structure was demolished shortly after Columbus Regional Health (CRH) purchased the property. Initially, CRH had plans for a mixed-use development on the site but those have since fizzled out.
The site has been vacant for so long in part because of the many challenges on site, including those related to infrastructure and flooding, according to city officials.
Sam Boyle, development manager at Midland, said they don’t have solidified plans for the property, but indicated that they have proposals where they would retain ownership of the lots after development and others where they would just sell them off.
The developer had asked the city to help with the extension, and City Engineer Andrew Beckort said they have identified about $500,000 in Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) 2.0 that will go towards its construction.
Beckort said construction plans for the extension will probably be finished this winter, with the project going out to bid in the spring.
A region comprised of Bartholomew, Jackson and Jennings counties, along with the town of Edinburgh, received $30 million in funding through the expanded state economic development initiative in 2024, part of $500 million in funding that went to regions across the state.
The property Midland is planning to develop is located within the Columbus Front Door Overlay Zoning District, meaning the development of each of the proposed lots will be subject to plan commission discretion later on.
While Columbus Regional Health System Services LLC is still listed as the property’s owner, CRH spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue previously told The Republic that CRH’s intent is to sell the entire plot to Midland.
Midland Atlantic Properties has offices in Indianapolis and Cincinnati and owns and fully leases Columbus Crossing Shops at 2075 West Jonathon Moore Pike, with tenants including Buffalo Wild Wings, Verizon Wireless, Heartland Dental, among others, according to it website and public real estate records.
However, the company sold the properties now housing McAlister’s Deli and Panda Express on the city’s west side, as well as the properties housing WellNow Urgent Care and Valvoline Instant Oil Change on National Road.
