Renderings provided by Wagenbrenner Development.

One jurisdiction down, one to go for Grandview Crossing, the large retail center proposed for a 40-acre site near the intersection of Dublin Road and Grandview Avenue.

On Wednesday night, the Grandview Planning Commission approved the latest plans for the Grandview portion of the center. Since the site straddles the Grandview-Columbus line, it will also require approval from the City of Columbus.

Eric Wagenbrenner of Wagenbrenner Development, which is partnering with Gallas Zadeh Development on the project, said that they plan to be at the city’s November 15th Board of Zoning Adjustment meeting. If all goes well, they are hoping for an early spring groundbreaking, with the first stores opening as soon as October of next year.

“The Columbus portion of the site is already zoned M, so the uses are permitted, we’ll just need some minor variances related to street trees,” he said, explaining that growing trees on the site is tricky because it sits on top of a capped landfill. “We have to use shallow-rooted trees, or we can put them in planters like we did at Gowdy Field… you just have to be careful that it doesn’t penetrate the cap.”

As for what type of tenants might fill the center, Wagenbrenner said to expect 20 to 30 percent of the square footage to be devoted to restaurant uses, while the remainder is filled with a range of traditional retail tenants.

While still a month or two away from revealing any names, Wagenbrenner did say that the largest spot — a big box space on the eastern edge of the site — will be filled by a user that offers groceries. That tenant will likely be the last to open in the center, starting its build-out after the rest of the development is completed.

Much of the feedback from the Grandview Planning Commission involved a desire to see a less suburban-looking product. Following two preliminary hearings, the project team met with Development Director Patrick Bowman and consultant Sidestreet Planning to address those concerns.

“Their suggestions were wonderful,” said Wagenbrenner, explaining how certain changes — like moving the two outparcel buildings along Dublin Road closer together to create more of an urban edge and utilizing different types of infrastructure to slow down car traffic — will help to promote pedestrian movement within the site.

“It’s kind of a suburban-urban site,” he added, “the hope is you can park your car — or your bike — and then walk around, and be able to get to everywhere in site.”

A bike path was added around the perimeter of the site, and talks are underway to eventually connect it up to the larger greenways network via the nearby Scioto Trail.

All visuals by POD Design, Bean Architects, E.P. Ferris & Associates.