Nearly two years after it was formally announced, the Millennial Tower project could potentially be approved for development as early as next week. The most noteworthy change in the newest renderings submitted to the Downtown Commission is the removal of the controversial LED billboards, and the replacement with LED blade signs.

After multiple resubmissions, the majority of Downtown Commissioners continued to stress that the large wallscape LED signs intended for advertising would overpower the streetscape, overpower the design of the building, and would illuminate nearby residences in a bothersome way at night.

A new vertical blade sign would face traffic driving South Front Street in both directions, spanning the building between floors one and eight, while a horizontal LED sign between the first and second floor would face out to pedestrians on South Front Street.

Representatives from local developer firm Arshot Investment Corporation are seeking their Certificate of Appropriateness from the Downtown Commission at the next monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 23.

If constructed as currently planned, Millennial Tower would add 720,000 square feet of office, retail, hotel, residential restaurant and parking garage space to the RiverSouth neighborhood in Downtown Columbus. At 412 feet tall, the building would become the 10th largest in the city, and second tallest residential building.

UPDATE – 1/23 12:30pm – This project has been approved.

Stay tuned for more updates from CU.

Renderings and visuals via architectural firm Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart.