Downtown Columbus, Ohio
Population: 711,470 est. - Franklin County

DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS OHIO REAL ESTATE MARKET

Living in Downtown Columbus is becoming increasingly popular due to the number of growing attractions including the Nationwide Arena District, North Market, Short North and water front areas of Downtown Columbus along the Scioto River. In addition, the City of Columbus has offered tax abatements on many of the new condo developments, to make real estate more attractive and affordable.

There are opportunities for new and existing Downtown Columbus condos and lofts starting in the low $100,000 range, but most are significantly higher. The riverfront area offers Downtown Columbus Ohio condo and loft developments with gorgeous views, perfect for busy executives, young professionals or empty nesters who want to be in the heart of it all

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Finding the right Downtown Columbus Ohio condo or loft for sale requires having a good Columbus Ohio Realtor® who will take the time to listen to your unique needs and notify you of any home that meets them, as soon as it comes on the market, before it’s gone!

If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, condo or investment property or have questions about Downtown Columbus Ohio real estate, CONTACT PETRA at 614-895-0496 to get started.

Downtown Columbus Ohio condo and loft values vary quite a bit, depending on the location and finishes. I can show you comparable sales for any property before you make an offer to ensure you pay a fair price. Compare Downtown Columbus home sales prices to other Central Ohio communities.

Building a new home or condo in Downtown Columbus

As your Columbus Ohio New Homes Specialist, Petra will help you make the best choices for your new home plus provide FREE professional interior design services to ensure outstanding results. Whether you’re interested in a Downtown Columbus Ohio custom home builder or one of the many production builders like MI Homes of Ohio, Petra can help you have a successful and profitable experience when building your new home anywhere in Central Ohio.

Downtown Columbus Ohio Relocation Services

Petra is a Columbus Ohio Realtor who has lived throughout Central Ohio for over 35 years. As a Columbus Ohio Real Estate expert she offers a wealth of information on area schools, community, entertainment and more, FREE to you just by asking. Click here to request your custom Central Ohio relocation packet.

Downtown Columbus OH Real Estate Sales Values

DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS OHIO SCHOOLS & COLLEGES

Columbus Public Schools services the Downtown Columbus area.  While the Columbus Public schools have been on academic watch for several years, they did receive a “Continuous Improvement” rating on the 2008-2009 district report card.  A few schools within the district do rank higher.

A return to neighborhood school assignments and passage of a school operating levy has helped spark the first significant increase in enrollment for Columbus Public Schools in over 20 years, a sign that the city is becoming more attractive to families. Columbus City has a total of  80 elementary schools, 29 middle schools, K-8, and 6-12 alternative schools as well as 23 High Schools.  Columbus City Schools also offers the Success Works Academy which is an alternative education program that serves the needs of the district’s students who are disruptive with chronic/intense behavior problems.  Columbus City Schools received a “Continuous Improvement” rating on the Columbus City Schools district report card.

From 2002 to 2009, 34 district schools, serving 17,000 students, have been either replaced, renovated or expanded as part of a 3 segment Columbus City Schools Master Plan.  In June of 2009, the Columbus Board of Education signed a project agreement for segment 3 of the Plan to commence.

There are also several notable private schools around Downtown Columbus, both religious and secular. Nearby private schools include Catholic schools with Saint Charles Prep all-boys High School being one, the Columbus Torah Academy and the Columbus School for Girls.

Universities located in or near Downtown Columbus are Capital University and its notable law school,  Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus State Community College, Franklin University and the  Mount Carmel College of Nursing.

PARKS & RECREATION

Columbus Recreation & Parks Department furnishes Downtown Columbus with beautiful parks, scenery and sports fields with opportunities for physical activity and relaxation. Noteworthy area parks include the Battelle Riverfront park whose docks hold a replica of Christopher Columbus’ Santa Maria, Deaf School Park home to a three dimensional topiary version of Seurat’s A Sunday on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Check out other central parks,  trails and rec centers.

MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS

Downtown Columbus is home to the Columbus Museum of Art housing collections of European and American art up to early modernism, Franklin Park Conservatory host of 1992’s Ameriflora expedition and  a scale replica of the Santa Maria commemorating the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America.  Downtown Columbus is also home to the renown Center of Science and Industry (COSI) located in the historic former Central High School building on the Scioto riverfront.

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS

Newer to the Columbus sports scene are the Columbus Blue Jackets (Major League Hockey) and the Columbus Destroyers (Arena football) who both play at Nationwide Arena in Downtown Columbus.  Another longstanding sports team, the Columbus Clippers Triple A farm team of the Washington Nationals will soon be playing at the new Huntington Field being built in the Downtown area.

ARTS & MUSIC IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS

Nationwide Arena is Downtown Columbus’ major concert venue.  Medium sized venues hosting musical as well as theatrical performances, include the (also home to the Blue Jackets and Destroyers), Schottenstein Center, and during warmer months, the Germain Amphitheater (formerly Polaris Amphitheater). Medium sized venues hosting musical as well as theatrical performances, include the Capitol Theater, the Ohio Theater, the Palace Theater (home of the Columbus Syphony Orchestra), the Southern Theater, Veteran’s Memorial Hall and PromoWest Pavilion.

The Columbus Art Festival, the largest of it’s kind in Central Ohio, is held each June in Downtown Columbus.  Downtown Columbus also hosts several other festivals throughout the year including the Jazz Festival, International Festival, Rib Fest and many more.

The King Arts Complex, located in the Eastern edge of Downtown Columbus, provides a variety of art programs for people of all ages and backgrounds to appreciate and discover the contributions of African-Americans through creative expression and education.

BUSINESS

Nationwide Insurance and Huntington Bancshares are headquartered in Downtown Columbus. The City of Columbus, State of Ohio and US Federal government have many offices in Downtown Columbus.  J.P. Morgan Chase which merged with Bank One in 2004, also has a major hub in Downtown Columbus.

SHOPPING IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS

The historical North Market has served the Downtown area since 1876 and offers a European style shopping atmosphere with local vendors selling ethnic food specialties, gourmet groceries and unique gifts. You’ll find fresh fish, butcher meats, produce, dairy, deli meats & cheese, fresh baked bread & goods, spices, prepared meals, the yummiest home made ice cream around and so much more!
There are also Kroger and Giant Eagle grocery stores located within a mile of the Broad and High street intersection.

TRANSPORTATION

Though Columbus does not have a metro or other form of rail system, it does have an extensive public bus service called Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). Port Columbus International Airport is about 10 minutes from downtown columbus.

DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS OHIO HISTORY

Ten years ago, the thought of living in Downtown Columbus seemed an absurdity. Those who purchased real estate faced the possibility of low resale values or not being able to resell at all. Such is not the case today!  Mayor Michael Coleman unveiled a plan in 2001 to revitalize the Downtown community. Since then builders have been taking advantage of incentives (major tax abatements), as well as the unique architectural features of old, solid downtown structures, resulting in an increase in housing.

Concurrently, the Capital Croassroads Special Improvement District began in 2001, making it their aim to keep Downtown Columbus streets safer and cleaner. This organization, sponsored by Downtown businesses, funds a crew that sweeps, cleans and watches over the area.

Residents of Downtown embody diverse ethnicities, cultures, languages and age groups. They consist of young and middle-aged professionals, singles, married couples, empty nesters. There is a great bond and sense of community among residents as well as Downtown establishments. Driving this are the Downtown Residents Association of Columbus and various community festivals.

The city of Columbus was founded in 1812 and has served as the capital for Ohio since 1816. The Ohio Statehouse Capital Building has been located in Downtown Columbus since 1861. Columbus has gradually grown into the most populous city in the state of Ohio with well over 711,000 people inside city limits as of the 2000 Census.

Helping to facilitate this population growth has been the city’s tremendous land area expansion. Annexation has enabled the city to grow from 39.9 square miles in 1950 to over 225.9 square miles today. Columbus is the county seat for Franklin County, while also extending into Delaware, Fairfield and Licking counties.

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