(This article, reprinted with permission, featuring the new Gateway North complex at Main & Parkview, appeared in Bexley News on November 14, 2007)  11/29/07

Gateway North fills space, picks up award accolades

The project has been designed to offer retail and residential space in three components

By Sara Johnson
Suburban News Publications

As a residential and commercial project off Main Street and Parkview Avenue four years in the making, Bexley Gateway North has reached two major construction milestones.

The Bexley Gateway project started back in 2004 when Bexley resident Larry Ruben, president and chief executive officer of Plaza Properties Inc., wanted to see more residential and retail operations in Bexley. With Plaza Properties as the developer, the planning and approvals started in 2004 and construction broke ground in May 2005, said Ruth Milligan, spokeswoman for Plaza Properties.

“This is really his vision that Bexley needed more retail because Bexley doesn’t have a ton of places. On the residential side, there isn’t a product in Bexley like this where someone who (can) stay in Bexley to maintain a luxurious lifestyle and a worry-free life, and so his vision was ‘Let’s create a building in an environment lifestyle that people will embrace,’ ” Milligan said.

In the last two weeks, the mixed-use project added another and final retailer to the line-up of three spots for retail space along East Main Street. The newest addition is a locally owned business, Jeni’s Ice Creams. The shop is known for its different flavors such as Thai Chili and Salty Caramel, she said. Jeni’s Ice Creams will open in the spring of 2008. The other two spots are filled by Mozart’s Bakery, which opened in August, and the Rusty Bucket Corner Tavern, which opened in April.

Also just a couple weeks ago, the Bexley Gateway planning team received the “Infill Award of the Year” at the Ohio Planning Conference, which consists of land planners and landscape architects.

“That’s an indication from a third party saying, ‘Wow, this project is really hit all the important attributes.’ It’s architecturally superior, the way in which it’s been planned and designed for retail for mixed use is extremely well-received by residents, and the fact that we have such good early interest in the residential component (is great),” Milligan said.

Bexley Gateway has three components. The retail space along East Main Street is known as The Shoppes, and the commercial space that sits above is The Shoppe. Tenants for the office space is still to be announced. The third component to the project is the residential buildings called the Alexander & Park Three residences.

Two models in the Alexander, contemporary and traditional, are open as of two weeks ago.

“We have two styles to show that we can create anybody’s style of home,” said Ann Taylor, design coordinator at the Design Center, which was responsible for the design of the model homes.

The Alexander is the centerpiece of the residential offerings with 33 luxury condominiums on three floors in a five-story building, with average space just under 1,300 square feet, she said. The Alexander is located at the north end of Bexley Gateway on South Parkview Avenue. The Alexander units range from $399,900 to $1.3 million.

Just a few amenities to the luxurious place include seven-day-a-week concierges and a common area on the first level of the complex with a billiards and card tables and a library. The basement will have a full-fitness center called Club Alex complete with an aerobics room and fitness equipment where residents can work out along or with their own fitness trainer.

The fifth floor offers a potential for six customizable penthouses depending on what residents want she said. The six proposed penthouses cost between $990,900 to $1.8 million.

The Park Three is made up of three authentic New York-style brownstone residences with five residential floors. Located at the center of Bexley Gateway on South Parkview Avenue, each brownstone offers around 3,100 square feet of space. Brownstones range from $1.3 million to $1.5 million.

The Alexander & Park Three residences are looking to move in residents after January.

Another portion of the project, Bexley Gateway South, is still in the planning phase but it will be another mixed-use retail and residential area similar to Bexley Gateway North, she said.

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