Gahanna City Council voted to adopt Ordinance 42-2025 on Nov. 17, authorizing the mayor to enter a development agreement with Connect Realty LLC, Benson Capital LLC and the Gahanna Community Improvement Corporation for the redevelopment of vacant and blighted properties in the Creekside District.

The ordinance passed after two council amendments — adoption of a substitute Exhibit A and redline corrections to ordinance language, including a name correction for the Community Improvement Corporation — and a roll-call vote in which Councilmember McGregor was the only no vote. Councilmembers Schnetzer, Renner, Padova, Weaver, Bowers and Jones voted yes.

The agreement, described by council and staff as a private capital-led mixed-use project, was presented by Mayor Jadwin and Director Gockey. Director Gockey said the proposal is designed to add housing diversity, weekday and evening activity, and “bring more people downtown,” while the fiscal-impact analysis presented estimated increased disposable income in the district (roughly 287 households × $22,800 per household in one projection) and anticipated retail and hotel components.

Supporters framed the vote as a step toward reversing long-term decline in Creekside. Councilmember Schnetzer described the project as a $100,000,000 estimated capital investment with the city contributing roughly 5% in land parcels, characterizing the agreement as carrying “practically no contingent liabilities of the city.” Councilmember Padova acknowledged public skepticism about subsidies but said the timeline for Creekside’s recovery left little alternative.

Opponents and some residents raised concerns about parking and the scale of Phase 2 of the project. Councilmember McGregor said the plan removes a vital parking lot adjacent to a sanctuary and that no viable replacement parking had been provided; she said for that reason she could not support Phase 2 and therefore opposed the ordinance. Resident Patricia Kovacs had earlier raised questions during public comment about CIC finances, public review of the 2022 strategic plan and whether land was effectively being conveyed to a developer.

Council and administration officials emphasized that the adopted agreement begins a multistep process: council authorization triggers a six-month due-diligence period for the developer, followed by planning, engineering, public safety and design reviews with multiple opportunities for public input. The council also adopted amendments clarifying exhibit materials and the ordinance language prior to the final vote.

The ordinance’s adoption authorizes the mayor to proceed with the development agreement but does not finalize site-level approvals, which will come through subsequent planning and permitting steps that involve continued public review.

Next procedural steps: the developer will conduct a six-month due-diligence period; planning and building reviews and additional public hearings are expected to follow before construction approvals are granted.