The Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) is selling land near the Shepard Branch on the city's east side for the construction of affordable housing.
The developers, the non-profit Homeport, will buy the parcels for $480,000. CML said the money from the sale will go into the library’s Capital Projects Fund.
The land was originally bought in 2013 for construction of the Shepard Branch. When the branch finished construction in 2016, CML held onto the excess land in case the branch needed to be expanded. However, the parcels across the street and just north of the branch have remained vacant.
The idea to turn the land into affordable housing was pitched to CML by the late Columbus architect Curt Moody, a founding partner of the Moody Nolan firm.
“He presented that idea at one of our board meetings in a public session and our trustees really like that idea,” said Lauren Hagan, CEO of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. “It's a critical community need and we saw it as an opportunity for us to think about how the library can play a role in supporting the broader efforts of the community, to look for opportunities to build more housing for our community.”
The library opened bids for the project in Oct. 2024, and decided on Homeport. Hagan said the non-profit’s proposal stood out for their variety.
“The parcel closest to the library will include townhomes for sale and then the parcel across the street includes units for rent for older adults. So that was something of interest that they're addressing multiple needs in what they hopefully plan to develop,” she said.
Hagan also spoke about increased accessibility to the library.
“We are excited to have even more people living close to the library,” Hagan said. “Of course, this will be walkable and we look forward to being a resource to the residents who eventually move into the housing that Homeport develops.”
This type of development is right up Homeport’s alley, said company CEO Leah Evans.
“We don't have all of the details worked out yet, but our first goal is to see if we can make it all affordable,” Evans said. “We don't want to have a cookie-cutter product that is just in every place and looks the same and functions the same. We really look at the real estate and look at this site and look at how that community interacts with it to come up with strategies for housing.”
While a timeline hasn't been finalized, Evans hopes construction will begin in spring of next year.
