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Council directs staff to pursue middle-density Tower Drive concept and issue RFQ for developers
Summary
Following public input and listening sessions, the council directed staff to prepare an RFQ around Concept 3 — a middle-density plan combining a ~30-unit small apartment building for 55-plus residents and several single-family/twin homes — and to circulate the community feedback that informed the choice.
After a review of feedback gathered at a neighborhood meeting and at National Night Out, the Committee of the Whole voted Aug. 19 to pursue a middle-density development concept for the Tower Drive property and to issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) based on that concept.
Mike, presenting the options, said the city received a range of input: strong support for trails and community gardens, concern about pedestrian safety at Tower Drive crossings, mixed views on apartments versus owner-occupied housing, and a desire by some older residents to remain in Columbus. He outlined a third option that blends the earlier two concepts: a one‑to‑two‑story apartment building with about 30 units targeted for residents 55 and older, plus 8–10 single‑family/twin homes, trails and community gardens. "We had a really good kind of feedback on the concepts that we had shared," Mike said. He also provided revenue estimates showing concept 2 would yield about $35,000 per year in city tax revenue while the higher-density option could produce about $80,000; Concept 3 fell between those figures.
Council members debated whether to commission additional market study but a majority favored moving ahead with Concept 3 and issuing an RFQ to get developer proposals and allow apples‑to‑apples comparisons. One alder said the community had been in "analysis paralysis" and urged the RFQ route to get proposals rather than delay. The motion to develop an RFQ for Concept 3 was made and seconded and passed.
Staff told council they received eight website emails and additional public-session comments and agreed to circulate that input to councilors. The RFQ process will return developer responses and renderings to the council for further review.
