M/I Homes pitches townhomes for vacant Dublin site near Mall at Tuttle Crossing

DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) -- M/I Homes is aiming to transform a wooded property in Dublin near the struggling Mall at Tuttle Crossing by building a neighborhood of townhomes.

The home builder's proposal calls for the "Townes at Tuttle" development to feature 126 townhomes on a 21.8-acre site at the southwest corner of Tuttle Crossing Boulevard and Hirth Road. The townhomes would range in price from about $400,000 to $500,000, and be split among 23 buildings accessible by primary streets in a gridded layout.

"M/I Homes has been very successful in Dublin, and they've got a newer townhome product that they're doing that's been successful in other locations in central Ohio and would like to bring that here," said Aaron Underhill, partner at law firm Underhill and Hodge, who spoke on behalf of M/I at a June 20 Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

The development would sit across the street from the Mall at Tuttle Crossing, a shopping center that was recently purchased for $19.5 million by three New York investment firms. The mall is one of about 170 retail properties, including about 80 malls, owned by the firms that operate struggling shopping districts after purchasing them for cheap.

Townes at Tuttle would feature four open green spaces: the densely wooded stream corridor
to the north of the development, an open area to the south of the Hirth Road entrance,
a water entry features west of the Hirth Road entrance and a dog park in the western
portion of the site.

However, Commissioner Kim Way said at the meeting that while he supports developing the site, he is against the layout and argued the proposal includes too many townhomes. He also noted that Dublin's community plan states development of this site would need to include a public road running through the property to ease traffic.

"I feel like, right now, you're treating the site as an island, and it really does need to fit in to the bigger picture," Way said. "I would really like you to consider that as you develop the plan."

Commissioner Kathy Harter echoed Way's concerns and said the proposed development is "quite long and repetitive," and that she is open to seeing a "completely different" design. Commissioner Jamie Chinnock also spoke against M/I's design and said the outline is "very generic" and "not very creative."

"It feels like you've probably done this maybe other places many times and just plopped it on our site, and not really considered the area," said Chinnock. "We obviously are interested in this site, but I think we can just do, quite honestly, do better with it."

Commissioner Rebecca Call, chair of the commission, recommended a new plan that includes M/I home's residential but also features a commercial piece in the corner southwest of Tuttle Crossing Boulevard and Hirth Road. M/I Homes could return to the commission after revising their proposal.