Historic Columbus buildings are getting new life with restaurants, basement bar and more
Columbus-based real estate and investment firm The Cotton Companies has revealed details for Highside Market, an upcoming dining, retail and event hub in the downtown area.
Dubbed a “love letter to Columbus,” the project sits at the crossroads of 13th Street and Second Avenue The historic structures on the site will be readapted, embracing the original architecture, and connected by a new building and an outdoor park for entertainment and community events.
“The Cotton Companies has been a driver behind some of the recent revitalization of Columbus’ Uptown neighborhood, resulting in alluring destinations that exude both history and charm,” The Cotton Companies President Chris Woodruff said in a press release. “Highside Market is meant to further that growth and serve as an epicenter for community and meaningful experiences for Columbus and beyond.”
Highside Market’s flagship structure, the 211 Building, was built in 1939 and previously operated as an auto dealership in Columbus for 55 years. The building’s ground floor will include a bakery, two dine-in restaurants, a mix of retail market stalls with office space, pop-up space for events and workshops, according to the release.
The adjacent building, a circa 1959 Brutalist-style bank building, will be repurposed into the “201 Building” to include a ground-floor restaurant, basement bar and second-floor retail or art gallery space.
A newly constructed “207 Building” will include a ground-floor restaurant with expansive windows and sun-drenched space, as well as a second-story bar with a rooftop deck overlooking 13th Street and the outdoor lounge areas below.
Completing the development will be a 7,000-square-foot urban park with a pop-up Airstream bar, which will serve food and drinks.
The first phase of Highside Market will open in September, according to the release. The property is leasing space, and more info about dining, retail and more will be revealed “in the coming months,” the release said.
The development at 201 13th St. will include over 55,000 square feet of leasable area.
