Construction begins on 13‑story mass timber student housing at 9th and High in Columbus

Columbus, Ohio, October 1, 2025

News Summary

Construction has started on 9th and High, a 13‑story mass timber student housing tower near The Ohio State University. The 242,000‑square‑foot building will contain roughly 186 units and 493 beds and rise above a one‑story concrete podium. Developer Harbor Bay Ventures is working with Elford Construction, DLR Group, Forefront Structural Engineers and SmartLam on CLT floor panels and glulam columns and beams. The design uses wood‑to‑wood connections and concealed Simpson Strong‑Tie connectors with a two‑hour FRR. The project emphasizes domestic timber supply chains and claims a net sequestration of 1,128 metric tons of CO₂e.

Construction begins on 13‑story mass timber student housing in Columbus

Construction has started on a 13‑story mass timber building in Columbus, Ohio, to be used for student housing. The project is named 9th and High and Harbor Bay Ventures (Chicago‑based) is the developer of the property. The developer calls the building the tallest mass timber student housing building in the United States once complete. The developer states the project is expected to be complete / open by summer 2027.

What sits at the top of the news

The new mass timber tower is sited in the University District near The Ohio State University. Reported site addresses include 1487 N. High St. and 1497 N. High St. The building will encompass 242,000 square feet and is described as a 13‑story structure rising 157 feet, 6 inches in one report. The development will contain 186 units and 493 beds. Another report describes the interior layout as five two‑story townhomes on the ground floor with 181 apartments above.

Who is building and designing it

Columbus‑based Elford Construction is the general contractor. DLR Group is the designer / architect for the development; all renderings are credited to DLR Group courtesy of Harbor Bay Ventures. Forefront Structural Engineers is handling the structural design for the full building, including all mass timber systems, and Forefront is collaborating with American mass timber manufacturer SmartLam (SmartLam North America) on the structural design.

Structure, materials and connectors

The project will use mass timber systems that include domestically sourced cross‑laminated timber (CLT) floor panels and glulam (glued laminated timber) columns and beams sourced from Alabama via SmartLam North America. The structural system relies on wood‑to‑wood connections for the glulam columns. The project will use standardized, off‑the‑shelf concealed connectors from Simpson Strong‑Tie for glulam beam‑to‑column joints. Simpson Strong‑Tie connectors (off‑the‑shelf concealed) are expected to achieve a Fire Resistance Rating (FRR) of two hours as stated by Forefront CEO Josh Dortzbach.

Forefront developed unique composite connectors that integrate the topping slabs with the CLT deck. Those composite connectors are said to improve structural performance of the deck by enabling longer spans and reducing deflections. Reduced deflection and longer spans are described as critical to supporting the building’s high‑performance exterior enclosure. The text defines deflection as the degree to which a structural member bends or sags under a load.

Environmental and supply chain notes

The project was optimized for the North American supply chain to build tall mass timber cost‑effectively in the Midwest using domestic forests, according to Forefront leadership. The project will realize a net sequestration of 1,128 metric tons of CO₂e. The developer/engineer equated 1,128 metric tons of CO₂e sequestration to 2,169 round‑trip flights from Columbus to Key West. Harbor Bay emphasizes domestic sourcing of mass timber to set a precedent for future large‑scale U.S. mass timber projects.

Site history, approvals and parking

The project replaces the Bier Stube, a popular campus bar that had stood for nearly six decades. The small building that housed the Bier Stube was demolished earlier in the week. Bier Stube has relocated to a new location at 234 King Ave. and the owner hopes to reopen there by late December. Harbor Bay’s press release states the development officially broke ground on Sept. 8. The 13‑story mass timber tower is Columbus’ first large‑scale mass timber structure and will be built on top of a one‑story concrete podium.

Harbor Bay said mass timber was chosen for environmental benefits, timeless aesthetic, and an efficient construction timeline. Proponents say mass timber construction offers advantages over concrete or steel, including quicker and quieter construction and a smaller carbon footprint. Harbor Bay CEO Mark J. Bell notes the project addresses sustainability, affordability, forest management, an evolving workforce and American timber production, and that the timber structure is intended as a central amenity. Harbor Bay said it does not yet know how much 9th and High units will cost and that units will be priced in line with market‑rate student housing. The apartments will be managed by Coastal Ridge.

Harbor Bay and a group of investors purchased 13 buildings on the south side of West Ninth Avenue that have been used as student rental housing. Harbor Bay previously said those 13 purchased buildings will remain as they are and will not be redeveloped. Harbor Bay stated parking for the new apartments would be available behind those existing buildings and in the 1,200‑space South Campus Gateway Garage on East Ninth. Materials shared with the University Impact District Review Board (UIDRB) stated that the South Campus Gateway Garage is less than half full at peak times. Harbor Bay reportedly reached an agreement with CampusParc for access to the South Campus Gateway Garage.

Approvals, changes and context

The development was approved by the University Impact District Review Board (UIDRB) last year. An earlier proposal for the site had called for a 15‑story building with a 39‑space parking garage. Over several months of discussions the design was changed to be two stories shorter and with no garage. Harbor Bay’s 9th and High is described as its second significant mass timber investment in Ohio; the earlier project was INTRO Cleveland, a nine‑story mass timber residential building that opened in 2022.

Design intent and community response

Project designers describe 9th and High as paving the way for low‑carbon, innovative student housing that integrates traditional and contemporary design elements honoring neighborhood heritage. Local commission leaders said working with Harbor Bay on 9th and High was collaborative and aligned with the University District’s history of managing change. Harbor Bay’s public materials emphasize the project demonstrates the ability to build tall mass timber cost‑effectively in the Midwest using U.S. forests, and that mass timber offers a natural warmth and texture for student housing communities. Project renderings and materials are available via Harbor Bay Ventures.

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Key features

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Additional Resources

• ENR: Construction kicks off on 13‑story mass timber building in Columbus
• Wikipedia: Mass timber
• Columbus Underground: Bier Stube demolished; work to start on new mass timber tower
• Google Search: Bier Stube Columbus demolition
• Woodworking Network: Ohio State University’s mass timber student housing structure begins
• Google Scholar: mass timber student housing
• The Columbus Dispatch: OSU student housing apartment replacing Bier Stube starts construction
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Ohio State University
• GSL Global: Construction starts on wooden apartment complex near OSU at former Bier Stube location
• Google News: 9th and High mass timber Columbus

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