Plans to build a mixed-use development on the 15-acre White Castle Headquarters site at 555 W. Goodale St. are moving forward.

The City of Columbus is now working out the final details of an agreement that will facilitate the $65 million project.

“It’s a great re-use of that site, and the opportunity to keep White Castle in that location is wonderful,” said Steve Schoeny, the city’s Development Director. “It’s a family company that has been a great corporate and community citizen for a long time…this not only keeps their business here, but it develops another great place in a great location.”

Legislation was first submitted to the Columbus City Council last Monday laying out the basics of the agreement and of the project. A tax increment finance (TIF) district will be set up that will allow White Castle to pay directly for $2 million in related infrastructure improvements instead of property taxes.

The development will include 150,000 square feet of office space (to include the White Castle corporate headquarters), and 300 apartments, while the infrastructure improvements will include a new access road and improvements to that section of Goodale.

The final agreement is to be taken up by council on July 24.

News of the project first surfaced in the spring of 2016, when it was announced that Elford Development was looking into redeveloping both the Goodale site and the United Dairy Farmers store in the Short North. Elford, who is still attached to the White Castle project, has since started construction on a four-story mixed-use building on the UDF site.