A Dublin-based developer is looking to swap out one of Ohio State's old-school haunts for a lot more student beds. Plans filed with the city would replace the former Tommy's Pizza at 174 W. Lane Ave, a onetime campus staple on the busy corner by Neil Avenue, with a six story student housing building that brings mid-rise apartments, leasing and amenity space, and a small structured garage to the edge of campus.
Proposal Filed With City
According to 10TV, Stavroff Land & Development submitted a zoning application to the City of Columbus earlier this month seeking approval for a six story building. The materials describe landscaping, outdoor seating, bicycle parking and screening elements that are meant to keep the Neil Avenue frontage feeling walkable and pedestrian-friendly even as the site goes vertical.
What's Planned
As reported by Columbus Underground, the concept shows a ground-floor parking garage with about 22 spaces alongside roughly 3,300 square feet of leasing and amenity space. The upper five floors would hold a mix of one to six bedroom apartments. The submitted floorplan lays out nine units and about 26 beds on a typical upper floor, which works out to roughly 45 units and around 130 beds in total.
End Of A Local Landmark
The corner building that housed Tommy's has sat empty since the Lane Avenue shop closed after roughly 45 years in business, with local outlets reporting that the campus location served its last pies in mid June 2024. The brand has not disappeared entirely, though. The chain still operates other Tommy's locations in Upper Arlington and Dublin, according to local coverage of the closure.
Where It Fits The Neighborhood
Developers and planners point to steady student demand near North Campus, and this latest proposal would slide into a corridor that has been rapidly filling in with student housing. Tommy's parcel is considerably smaller than some of the more recent Lane Avenue projects, but it sits near larger complexes such as the Rambler and the StateHouse Lane community. Together, those buildings highlight how mid-rise student housing has begun to cluster along the street, a trend that is easy to spot in the Rambler's site information and Ohio State housing listings.
Next Steps
The University Area Commission is scheduled to review the variance request on June 4, after which the proposal would head to the Board of Zoning Adjustment for a final decision, according to Columbus Underground. If the variances are granted, the developer could move into permitting and design work, with additional public meetings giving neighbors and students opportunities to weigh in.
Any change to the corner will draw the attention of longtime patrons who remember Tommy's as a campus fixture, as well as students keeping close tabs on new housing options near Ohio State. We will follow the hearings and update this coverage as the application moves through city review.
