The Columbus University District Review Board voted to support a zoning change that would allow construction of a hotel and retail component within the University Square development.

Staff told the board the applicant seeks rezoning from Commercial Plan District (CPD) to Urban Core (UCR) and brought a conceptual design for the hotel and ground-floor retail. The hotel as shown in staff materials would be about 101,600 square feet, include roughly 145 guest rooms, three retail spaces and reach a maximum height of about 124 feet. Staff said the parcel qualifies for rezoning under recent Columbus legislation that enables opt-in to Title 34 urban core rules and recommended support for the rezoning while noting the design still needs more detail.

The board’s comments focused on pedestrian and bicycle amenities, streetscape and rooftop-use details. Staff urged the applicant to provide streetscape elevations, full building elevations for all sides, additional renderings, parking and bicycle infrastructure details, materials cut sheets, and clarification of terrace and rooftop uses before the board would take further action on design. Staff also encouraged the applicant to explore relocating the hotel guest drop-off from North Pearl Street to East 15th Avenue and to incorporate public gathering spaces and public art.

Developer representatives described the project as a continuation of the University Square framework plan, noting a long-running intent to align a primary hotel entrance with the Long Walk and Thompson Library. They said the design emphasizes high-quality materials, steps down toward adjacent lower-density neighborhoods, and includes two terraces and rooftop event space. They also told the board the parking program is expected to total roughly 430 spaces across the broader development and that garage circulation is planned to use Pearl Alley for hotel access.

Public commenter Claire Verghegan, a professor at Ohio State who lives in the university district, said she supported portions of the proposal near Thompson Library but urged changes to reduce the visual mass of a “red appendage” shown in the plans and to widen sidewalks to improve pedestrian safety. “I would like to see wider sidewalk and the red building on the right of the tower going down to the level of the rest of the square,” Verghegan said.

After questions and exchanges on massing, materiality and traffic circulation, Mister Sublette moved and Mister Mather seconded a motion to support the rezoning request; the board recorded affirmative votes from Fleming, Sublette, Smanski and Mather and noted Mister Reeds was not present for that vote. The motion to support rezoning carried. No action was required or taken on the design’s conceptual review at this meeting; staff and the applicant will return with the additional materials the board requested.

Next steps: staff will require supplemental streetscape elevations, full elevations, parking and bicycle details and material specifications before the board can evaluate final design consistency with University District guidelines.