Dublin creating direction for revitalizing Metro Center
By all accounts, Metro Center, a 130-acre commercial and office complex on the east side of Interstate 270 and the south side of state Route 161, has served Dublin well, but city staff is looking at ways to position it better against modern developments.
“Metro Center’s office space offers freeway visibility, easy access by car, lots of free parking and has been successful for decades, (but) as suburban office areas have aged, this office model is having an increasingly difficult time competing with office space in more vibrant, amenity-rich environments,” said Megan O’Callaghan, Dublin’s deputy city manager and chief finance and development officer.
Metro Center was incorporated into what was then the village of Dublin in 1972.
“It was privately developed and the first buildings in Metro Center were constructed in the late 1970s and into the early 1980s,” said Andrew Kohn, public affairs officer for Dublin.
Dublin City Manager Dana McDaniel told City Council in February that office parks of the era are today “dinosaurs.” It was then that council members approved making revisions to the Dublin Corporate Area Plan, including those for Metro Center.
According to Jennifer Rauch, a planner for Dublin, the revisions would create a “unified vision for Metro Center.”
“The code remains in draft form, but when complete, will be used to achieve the objectives concerning Metro Center,” Kohn said.
O’Callaghan added, “Many employees and residents now desire housing and office space in walkable, mixed-use environments that include restaurants, retail, entertainment and recreation amenities. It is important that we reposition the district for continued success and encourage private investment that benefits the entire community.”
One of the multiple private-property owners within Metro Center is Crawford Hoying, the Dublin-based firm that developed Bridge Park.
Crawford Hoying owns a 105,000-square-foot office building within the inner loop of Metro Place.
Metro Center, built up before the 90s, is “nearing the end of its useful life,” according to Matt Starr, vice president of commercial real estate for Crawford Hoying.
“Office parks of its era were built with sprawling parking lots for employees driving to a single destination, whereas today, tenants and employees desire some supporting retail establishments and residential options,” Starr said.
Considering apartments are being constructed to meet demand, Starr said he sees a remaining shortfall when it comes to small, single-family residences such as those at Grandview Yard and Harrison West.
“But it will take some time for Metro Center to evolve into whatever it is to become”, Starr said.
“I don’t think there is one grand plan (for Metro Center). It will be gradual (and) evolve over time.”
Starr explained that Crawford Hoying has leases until 2026 and is still accepting new leases to fill out the building it owns, which today is 65% occupied.
If the timing and conditions are right, Starr said he does rule out demolishing and redeveloping the property Crawford Hoying owns as part of a larger effort to revitalize Metro Center.
Scott Dring, president and CEO of Visit Dublin Ohio, said he is pleased the city is making an effort to identify ways to revamp the campus.
“Metro Center was home to Dublin’s first hotel, Stouffer’s, in the 1980s and numerous hotels have been built in the area in the following decades with the most recent being last year with the addition of TownePlace Suites,” Dring said.
“It’s exciting to see all the work and research being done by the city of Dublin to create a future vision for the area.”
“If the city is successful in its effort at Metro Center, it will benefit the whole city,” Dring added.
“Creating a mixed-use campus with connection to other Dublin areas, attracting restaurants, shopping and amenities will only help Metro Center attract visitors and their travel dollars to the city.”
@ThisWeekCorvo
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