Eastland Community Plan

The Eastland area of southeast Columbus has faced several overlapping challenges: significant housing cost increases, stagnating population growth, struggling commercial corridors, aging building stock, and the permanent closure of the former Eastland Mall. At the same time, the mall site and surrounding district represent one of the city’s most important opportunities for long-term reinvestment.

Building on housing and retail analysis completed by Development Strategies in 2024, the Eastland for Everyone Plan positions the former mall site not as an isolated redevelopment project, but as the anchor for broader neighborhood revitalization. The planning process drew strong participation across several public meetings, helping build trust and shape priorities around housing, small businesses, retail, walkability, family-serving amenities, and community-serving investment.

Our team created realistic development scenarios and tenanting strategies that can be phased over time. Plan strategies are directly shaped by community priorities, including support for small businesses, retail activity, family-serving amenities, and diversity in housing options. Building on Columbus’ equitable economic development framework, authored by Development Strategies in 2019, the plan identifies and supports local wealth-building opportunities for households and small businesses alike.