Columbus has officially closed the book on its public spending for one of Franklinton's marquee developments. On Tuesday, the Columbus City Council approved a final $2 million payment to Kaufman Development’s Gravity project, wiping out the city's remaining financial obligations as the Greenhouse phase nears completion along West Broad Street. The vote caps a multiyear package of municipal support for the multi-block complex that has brought apartments, office space and public programming to the corridor, with neighbors and arts groups eyeing the last pieces of retail and open space as they come online.
As reported by Columbus Business First, the council's approval of the $2 million payment effectively closes out the city's financial commitment to Gravity and clears the last municipal obligation tied to the Greenhouse phase.
What council approved
The Greenhouse block is a roughly $120 million, 379,000-square-foot final phase planned on a 2.2-acre site along West Broad, according to minutes from the Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority. Those minutes show the phase includes about 313 apartments, a 324-space parking garage, ground-floor retail, and an affordability agreement that reserves roughly 10% of units at 80% of the area median income. The authority previously signed off on a capital-lease request connected to the project, the documents note.
How Gravity got here
Gravity has rolled out in stages. The original mixed-use building at 500 West Broad is still in place, while portions of the second phase were sold and rebranded as Horizon West, Columbus Underground reported. Kaufman Development has also moved or sold pieces of the larger footprint, including the Idea Foundry site and parts of its office holdings, as the complex has matured. CAPA moves in on Idea Foundry, detailing how the city helped mediate changes in ownership and programming at that anchor arts property.
Incentives and scrutiny
The council's last payment to Gravity lands in the middle of a broader countywide argument over development incentives. WOSU reported that tax breaks and other incentives in Franklin County have climbed sharply in recent years, prompting questions about what the public is getting in return. Supporters say projects like Gravity can jump-start private investment and bring new energy to older neighborhoods. Skeptics counter that generous deals can shrink tax revenue and deliver uneven benefits for schools and public services.
What comes next
With the city's financial piece wrapped up, the development team can turn fully to finishing construction and lining up tenants for apartments and ground-floor retail along West Broad, Columbus Business First noted. If the current schedule holds, the Greenhouse phase is expected to add more housing, office space, and programmed public areas that city officials say are intended to further activate the Franklinton corridor.
