About the Plan

  • With the population of the Central Ohio region projected to grow by one million people by 2050, every neighborhood in the city will experience change. However, our region’s growth and opportunity are not equally distributed. Some neighborhoods, like the Eastland area, are in danger of being left behind, not by choice but due to barriers in their way. This is a critical juncture for Eastland’s stabilization and revitalization within the growing Central Ohio region. Now is the time to envision a new future for the Eastland area—one that is equitable and prosperous for everyone.

  • This plan is a community plan, not a plan for the Eastland Mall site alone. The Eastland Mall site, however, is located within the plan area and its future will be considered in this planning process. The Eastland for Everyone Community Plan includes strategies and recommendations for potential reuse or redevelopment of the Eastland Mall site, including potential uses, size, scale, and phasing of development. Similar recommendations are crafted for other catalytic sites in the Eastland area in addition to the mall site.

  • The City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods engaged a consultant team to create a comprehensive community plan for the Eastland area of Columbus. The consultant team was led by community planning and urban design firm MKSK and included the Neighborhood Design Center, Cohear, and Development Strategies. The Department of Neighborhoods is leading ongoing implementation of the plan.

  • The Eastland area is composed of a 6-square mile area in southeast Columbus. The geographic boundaries of the plan area include areas west of Noe Bixby Road and east of Noe Bixby Road. The area west of Noe Bixby is bounded by I-70 to the north, portions of James Road and US-33 to the west, and Refugee Road corridor from US-33 to Noe Bixby Road to the south. The area east of Noe Bixby Road includes a portion of I-70 and the railroad tracks to the north, Brice Road to the east, and Chatterton Road to the south. For the purposes of this project, the boundaries described will be referred to as the Eastland area.

  • The Eastland for Everyone Community Plan is the roadmap for the stabilization and improvement of the Eastland area. The planning process assessed the current state of the neighborhood, evaluated opportunities for public and private investments, and provided a framework for future development. Through robust and meaningful engagement of the Eastland community, the plan establishes goals, actions, and accountability structures for the public, private, institutional, and non-profit sectors.

  • The planning process engaged Eastland area stakeholders to guide the plan’s outcomes. This work was conducted in collaboration with a Technical Consultant Team that conducted a Housing and Retail Study for the Eastland area, to allow for an informed engagement process for the Eastland for Everyone Community Plan.

  • The 16-month planning process began in August 2023 and was completed December 2024.