COhatch to break ground on Powell location as part of downtown revitalization

POWELL, Ohio ( WCMH ) — A Columbus-based co-working business is breaking ground Wednesday on a Powell location, the first step of a larger project to redesign the city's downtown.

Powell is having the groundbreaking event at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday at 50 E. Olentangy St., a 0.63-acre site where COhatch is constructing a 13,900-square-foot location. Earlier this year, Powell had announced COhatch was picked to be one of several developers tasked with transforming a section of the city's downtown district.

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"COhatch is the perfect addition to downtown Powell's northeast quadrant," Powell City Manager Andrew White said. "Not only will it bring enhanced work and gathering spaces for local businesses and residents to the downtown area, but this project will help the city launch into other downtown redevelopment initiatives."

Once completed, COhatch's building will employ nearly 200 and generate $1.5 million annually in payroll, the city said. The location will be home to a rooftop bar overlooking downtown, shared and private workspaces for local businesses, an event space and more.

Beyond the COhatch building, CEO Matt Davis is aiming to leverage the development for future infrastructure improvement throughout downtown, including extending Scioto Street and an adjoining large-scale public parking lot. The city said these and other projects will be born out of partnerships with the community's business owners.

"I hope to work with all the small businesses and help them make their jobs easier, help them thrive as well as we do this," Davis said earlier this year at a meeting with Powell's planning commission. "This city's been unbelievably gracious in working with solutions with some of the landowners."

Launched in 2016, COhatch is home to co-working spaces and private offices with locations across nine cities, including Atlanta, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay. The company offers intimate "phone booth" rooms, fully equipped podcast rooms, large meeting rooms, and event spaces available for company gatherings, anniversary parties, reunions and even weddings.

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Davis caught the attention of Powell officials after COhatch unveiled plans to transform several acres along North Riverview Street near the Scioto River in Dublin to launch a mixed-use development named "Riverview Village," including the construction of COhatch's new 14,000-square-foot headquarters and the restoration of historic homes.

"Projects such as this allow the city to use development to foster community growth by leveraging investments and programs to create opportunities for our residents and businesses," said White. "This is the kind of transformative development we want in downtown Powell."