Condos could add wrinkle to area near Franklin Park Conservatory - Business First of Columbus:

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"I kept saying, 'Somebody has to do somethinhg there,' " Beard said. Beard has become that The Franklin Park neighborhood resident and CEO ofthe , a nonprofiyt urban development agency, plans to put a market-rate condominiu project in the Near East Side community. A rezoniny and planning effort has resulted in a desigh calling for 32 flatd and 20 townhouses onthe 2-acre site. Columbusd Compact's affiliate hopes to launch the firsf phase of constructionthis year, after it secures enoughj sale contracts on the condos. Pricesw will range from $129,000 to $285,000. "We have a lot of old house s around here," Beard said.
"What we want to do is build some new The Franklin Park neighborhood consist s largely of old mansions wherethe city's rich and famous resideed in the late-1800s. The area had fallej into disrepair until gentrification effortsa began to reclaim the housing stock in the The Franklin Park Condominiums project will be a couple blocka south ofFranklin Park, site of the Franklin Park The development site had served as a city park for residents during the 1992 AmeriFlora horticultural show beforse reverting to private control.
The city has continue d to improveFranklin Park, including an expansion of the and has offered 100 percent, 12-yea tax abatements for residential improvements through a planned neighborhood investment Jeff LaRue, a six-year resident of the area who was presidentt of the Franklin Park Area said the condos should go a long way toward improvinv the neighborhood. The neighborhood "has gained a head of steam in recenyt years," he said. "The park is a good Not so appealing is an abandonecd street car facility across the streef from thecondo project. "That's been neglected for LaRue said. "But it has the potentialk to besomething great.
" Said Beard: "We're workinhg with the owner on a development plan right Columbus Compact late last year hired agent Helej Nilsson to market the condos. Housing consultant Rob Vogt said pricinvg will be key in attractinhg buyers to an urban market amidthe region's slump in housinh sales. "That could be a said the principalof , whichy performed a marketing study for the projec 16 months ago. "Youh have to offer some value forthosde units." Beard thinks the prices and quality will offere that value. "We think there' a lot of (pricing) upside for buyers he said.
For now, Beard has Nilssonm finding buyers who may feel priced out of downtowhn but want to be nearthe city's core. "Ww want to sell a milliob (dollars) worth of condos," he "and then break ground."