The owner of a vacant site on North High Street near Clintonville said he's ready to proceed with plans to build a new hotel there.
Manav Singh, CEO of Stark Capital Ventures, told WOSU that the $20-million Hyatt Studios development at 2711 N. High St. near Arcadia Avenue will go before the University Impact District Review Board on Aug. 28.
The seven-story hotel with an extended stay concept would have 100 rooms and cater to visitors to Ohio State University and area hospitals.
Singh considered apartments but said the Columbus rental market doesn't support the cost to build apartments now.
"Wages are not supporting where the rental market is now," Singh said.
"We received a lot of interest for student housing," Singh said. But he said he'd have to charge rents that people wouldn't be able to meet.
The now-demolished Patrick J's restaurant and a White Castle once occupied the site, which straddles the University District-Clintonville line.
"Everybody would like to see the site developed," Singh said. He mentioned that the original developer, Borror, proposed building apartments and office and retail space there seven years ago.
Singh said he hopes to break ground in spring.
