The Ohio State University is continuing its development of the Carmenton District in West Campus with a new partner.
The Board of Trustees approved a partnership with New York-based real estate company Tishman Speyer on Wednesday. The company has partnered with other universities for similar projects.
The current Carmenton area has several research centers, including the Pelotonia Research Center on Kenny Road.
Plans for the Carmenton District are more than just research centers.
鈥淥ur goal is a true innovation neighborhood in a fairly dense urban neighborhood,鈥� said Amanda Hoffsis, vice president of planning architecture and real estate for OSU. 鈥淲e looked at the components that the university brought forward, which is really focused on institutional space, science space and innovation space, and we knew that if this was truly going to be a mixed use neighborhood, there were residential and retail components, as well as additional commercial growth that we wanted to see in the space.鈥�
The district currently has more than $900 million in investments, both public and private, and is planned to be developed across 350 acres.
Hoffsis is optimistic about the project.
鈥淪eeing this kind of regional innovation district take the next major step just shows the momentum that we're seeing both from Ohio State and its growing research engine,鈥� she said.