Myers discusses Framework 2.0, future of Ohio State development

Three key focus areas offer exciting changes coming soon to The Ohio State University. Keith Myers, Ohio State’s vice president of Planning and Real Estate, offered a glimpse into the university’s future development during Wednesday’s Columbus Business First 2019 Commercial Developers Power Breakfast.

The event’s keynote speaker focused primarily on 15+HIGH, the Medical Center district and the future of West Campus during his address to the 500-person audience. All three districts were outlined in Framework 2.0, the university’s long-term planning vision.

“Framework 2.0 envisioned a more developed west campus,” Myers said. “It also reiterated the university’s previous framework plan about the importance of 15+HIGH.”

Framework 2.0 is a living, breathing plan focused on the physical footprint that supports teaching and learning at Ohio State. The plan, announced in 2017, identified that the university has enough physical space in the academic core to develop approximately 1 million square feet.

“We determined we could build inward on the main academic campus,” Myers said. “Two years after initially revealing the new framework plan, we are now in a position to follow through on that vision.”

In November 2017, Ohio State announced five major projects as the next steps in Framework 2.0. All five projects now sit in various stages of planning and design.

• Arts District – The project, sited between 15^th and 18^th avenues on the west side of High Street, envisions high-quality, modern learning environments for interaction across arts disciplines. Included are new facilities for the School of Music and Department of Theatre, which will feature a home for the new Moving Image Production program. The Arts District was approved for professional services by Ohio State’s Board of Trustees.

• Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Center – The health sciences center will provide upgraded and flexible facilities to create a collaborative campus for interprofessional education throughout the health sciences.
   
• Interdisciplinary Research Facility – The university envisions an innovative and modern environment to serve multiple disciplines. A programming study identified approximately 380,000 new square feet, including wet, computation and core labs, a vivarium and support spaces. A site location is being evaluated and design work, currently underway, will inform total scope and total budget.

• Wexner Medical Center Inpatient Hospital – Ohio State is taking a major step forward with the development of a new hospital and ambulatory center that, combined with modern educational space, will enhance a unified Wexner Medical Center complex providing cutting-edge research, outstanding clinical training and world-class patient care. The tower would be the largest single facilities project ever undertaken at Ohio State and is currently in the design phase.

• Wexner Medical Center West Campus Ambulatory Facility – The ambulatory center, located on West Campus, will be approximately 395,000 square feet and will include central Ohio’s first proton therapy treatment facility in partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

During his keynote address, Myers recounted plans originally outlined in Framework 2.0 that imagine West Campus as an eventual innovation district and the site of future public-private partnerships that drive research.

All future work will require additional board approvals. Ohio State’s next board meetings will be held Feb. 20-22.