COLUMBUS, Ind. – Columbus Regional Health (CRH) has announced that it is working with the City of Columbus to finalize a proposed Comprehensive Master Site Plan for the large portion of agricultural land that the health system owns on the west side of Bartholomew County.
The Comprehensive Master Plan lays the groundwork for what could be developed on the site, and as such, outlines the potential for an iconic, activated expansion of the broader Columbus-area community on a section of Bartholomew County that has been experiencing consistent, rapid growth.
Shortly after CRH acquired the land in 2018, a multidisciplinary Land-Use Planning Committee was launched to create a vision for the property. The committee – comprised of CRH, city/county government, city planning/engineering departments, and economic development – engaged Design Workshop, an international architecture, economics, and urban design firm to guide the process and conduct a market study.
In addition to healthcare, the market study identified the following main development opportunities:
- Residential
- Mixed-use commercial and retail
- Office space
- Hotel and tourism
- Civic, community, and green space
“This investment by our organization not only aligns with our long-range strategic facility plans, and growth and expansion needs but also provides an opportunity for CRH to again serve as a catalyst in further transformational community development,” said Columbus Regional Health president/CEO Jim Bickel. “The collective advancement and cultivation of the region we serve is core to our mission and vision as an organization and we are pleased to launch this work with our community partners.”
City officials will follow their formal process for consideration of adopting this Comprehensive Master Plan, which will launch this spring. Public input solicitation is part of that process.
