Marysville has grabbed the single largest chunk from a wide-ranging auction of the Dorral Farm in Union County, giving the city fresh ground for utility infrastructure as development pressure continues to build along the US-33 corridor. The 480-acre estate was carved into multiple tracts and sold to several buyers, shifting long-time farmland toward industrial and municipal uses. City officials say the purchase is aimed at boosting electric and water capacity for projects already on the books and others waiting in the wings.
As reported by Columbus Business First, nine buyers split the auctioned estate for a combined price of about $9 million, with Marysville walking away with the largest parcel for utility expansion. The outlet noted that the multi-parcel sale drew heavy interest from developers and investors and that marketing materials included a photo credited to Bauer Realty & Auctions.
The property was marketed by Bauer Realty & Auctions and listed across commercial platforms as a 480-acre, multi-parcel offering along Hinton Mill, Watkins and Springdale roads. The listing describes tracts ranging from small home sites to larger buildable parcels positioned for industrial or utility use, with online bidding available during the February auction. Maps and detailed parcel breakdowns are still posted on the auction pages.
Marysville's plan for the site
Per Columbus Business First, Marysville intends to use its new tract for utility infrastructure that will be folded into upcoming capital plans. Staff are evaluating options for routing new water and electric mains that can serve both existing neighborhoods and future industrial pads tied to the US-33 growth corridor. The city has not yet released a construction schedule.
Why developers are paying up for Ohio land
Developers are shelling out top dollar for Central Ohio acreage as communities jockey to land data centers and distribution hubs. Marysville recently signed off on a 15-year tax abatement for a proposed $1 billion data center, underscoring regional demand, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Commercial listings show large tracts moving in the high seven- and eight-figure range, and one Crexi listing pegs a 113-acre Industrial Parkway parcel at about $9.98 million, a signal of rising land values and growing strain on local utility systems.
What comes next
With the Dorral Farm pieces now in private hands, Marysville still has a checklist to work through, including permits, design work and potential zoning changes before any utility projects can break ground. The city has been updating interactive development maps and revising rezoning rules to keep pace with industrial growth, according to coverage from Union County Daily Digital. Neighbors and nearby townships can expect public meetings and engineering work as routes for lines and access roads are mapped out.
The sale marks another significant shift for rural parcels north of Columbus, turning long-farmed fields into utility-ready sites that draw big-ticket projects and fresh planning headaches for local officials. Council agendas and county filings in the coming weeks will show how quickly Marysville moves from land grab to full build-out.
