Weston's first industrial development in Columbus, Ohio, proved a successful venture for the Cleveland-based firm.
885 Stelzer Road began as a speculative project in a Columbus industrial landscape hungry for space. Weston envisioned a sprawling warehouse across from John Glenn Columbus International Airport, a prime location promising access to regional and national transportation arteries.
Yet, the land itself presented challenges. This site was a wooded vacant lot in a blighted area that was a haven for crime, homeless encampments and trash dumping. Nor did the site have sanitary sewer lines.
Weston successfully negotiated necessary easements to access a sewer line. The firm also had to offset/mitigate multiple wetlands at a cost of several hundred thousand dollars.
From the effort Weston was able to complete development of 885 Stelzer Road, a 207,740-square-foot facility.
The project's impact extended beyond mere economic gains. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, speaking at the groundbreaking, highlighted the project's pivotal role in revitalizing a long-neglected area of Columbus.
The $23 million project attracted a single tenant taking the entirety of the building on a 10-year lease.
The deal earned a 2025 CoStar Impact Award for commercial development of the year in Columbus, as judged by real estate professionals familiar with the market.
About the project: 885 Stelzer Road offers access to major transportation routes, including interstates 670 and 270 and Highway 62. The location provides immediate connectivity to a market of over 1.4 million people within a 15-mile radius, making it a prime industrial hub.
What the judges said: "The economic and area safety benefits of this development are obvious," said David Dean, senior brokerage administrator at Equity.
They made it happen: Kurt Updegraff, director of development, for Weston; Derek Lichtfuss, managing director, and Terry Coyne, vice chairman, for landlord representative Newmark; and Brandon Lemmons, chief operating officer, and Russell Clark, project manager for general contractor ARCO National Construction.