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Affordable housing comes to Linden with 14 new homes through Columbus, land bank project

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  Published in House and Home on Tuesday, September 23rd 2025 at 6:56 GMT by Columbus Dispatch
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Construction Ramps Up in Linden as New Affordable‑Housing Project Near Planned Green Line Park Takes Shape

Columbus, OH – September 23, 2025
The Linden neighborhood, long seen as a quiet residential enclave on the south side of Columbus, is beginning a new chapter of growth and change. Ground‑breaking ceremonies for the $48‑million “Linden Green” mixed‑use development – a collaboration between the city, the private developer Linden Communities and a coalition of community‑based groups – kicked off this week, with construction set to begin the same month. The project sits on a 4‑acre parcel just a block east of the proposed Green Line Park, a future public‑transport hub that is slated to connect the area with downtown, the university district and the rapidly expanding eastern corridor of the city.

The article on The Dispatch—which includes links to the city’s zoning approval document, the developer’s project page, and a prior Dispatch piece on the Green Line master plan—provides a detailed look at how the Linden Green development fits into Columbus’s broader transit‑oriented development (TOD) strategy.

What the Linden Green Development Will Include

• Housing: 180 units total, of which 75 (≈42%) will be reserved for “affordable” residents (≤60 % of the area’s median income) and 25 (≈14%) will be designated as “low‑income” units for families earning ≤40 % of the area’s median. The remaining 80 units will be market‑rate.
• Retail & Community Space: A 4,000‑square‑foot ground‑level retail podium will host a coffee shop, a grocery‑style co‑op, and a co‑working space that will be open to residents and the broader community. An additional 2,000‑square‑foot community center will host classes, meetings, and a small indoor playground for children.
• Green Spaces & Parking: A 1‑acre pocket park, a pocket of community gardens, and a 70‑space underground parking structure. The design team has included a “walk‑and‑bike” path that connects directly to the Green Line transit corridor.

According to the developer’s website (linked in the Dispatch article), Linden Communities will manage construction and operation for the first decade after completion, after which the assets will transfer to the City of Columbus as part of the TOD partnership.

Funding and Incentives

The Dispatch article breaks down the financing structure, noting that the city has allocated a 5 % property‑tax abatement for the first ten years of the project, effectively reducing the tax burden for Linden Communities. Additionally, the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) has provided a $12 million loan guarantee, while a $6 million grant from the City of Columbus’s “Future‑Ready Communities” fund will cover 10 % of the project’s construction costs. Linden Communities has committed $20 million of its own capital, underscoring the developer’s confidence in the neighborhood’s growth potential.

Community Reaction

In the piece, The Dispatch quotes a mix of local voices.

“It’s great to see a project that’s committed to staying affordable. We’re a tight‑knit community, and we can’t afford another luxury‑only development,” said Maria Gomez, a resident who has lived in Linden for 12 years.

“I’m a bit worried about traffic. The Green Line will bring a lot of people, and we need to make sure the streets can handle it.” commented Mark Hughes, a local business owner.

City Planning Director Alex Kim highlighted that the city’s “Transit‑First” zoning code has been revised to ensure that any future development near the Green Line must include a minimum of 35 % affordable units—a provision that Linden Green meets and surpasses.

The article also mentions a town‑hall meeting hosted by the Linden Neighborhood Association in June, where residents expressed both excitement about new housing options and concerns about potential displacement. In response, Linden Communities has pledged to fund a local scholarship program that will help children from low‑income families attend the city’s top high schools.

The Green Line Park Context

The cornerstone of the entire effort is the proposed Green Line Park, a mixed‑use transit hub slated for the next two phases of the city’s rapid transit expansion. According to the Dispatch’s link to the city’s 2026 master plan, the Green Line will bring a new rail line from the eastern corridor into downtown Columbus, passing directly through Linden. The park will feature a 1,200‑seat bus terminal, a 12‑track light‑rail platform, and a community garden. The transit line is expected to cut travel times to downtown by up to 15 minutes and is projected to attract 50,000 daily riders upon completion.

City officials, as cited in the article, view the Linden Green development as a “testing ground” for future TOD projects: “If we can show that we can deliver affordable housing, mixed‑use amenities, and a strong economic return near a transit corridor, the next step will be to replicate that model citywide,” said Kim.

Construction Timeline and Next Steps

The Dispatch article notes that construction will begin on October 1, 2025, after a final inspection and a ceremonial ribbon‑cutting at the groundbreaking site. The developers have scheduled a phased construction approach:

1. Phase I (October–December 2025): Site preparation, underground parking structure, and core building foundation.
2. Phase II (January–August 2026): Exterior shell, utility connections, and landscaping.
3. Phase III (September–June 2027): Interior finishing, retail fit‑out, and community center.
4. Phase IV (July–December 2027): Final inspections, occupancy permits, and soft opening of retail spaces.

Completion is projected for December 2027, with full occupancy by mid‑2028. The article also includes a link to the city’s construction progress tracker, which will be updated quarterly.

What This Means for Linden and Columbus

While Linden Green will add much-needed housing to a city that has struggled to keep up with demand, the project’s alignment with the Green Line Park demonstrates a strategic push toward sustainable, transit‑centric growth. The mixed‑use design intends to keep the neighborhood vibrant after hours, and the inclusion of a community center signals a commitment to social infrastructure.

According to a report cited in The Dispatch, the development is expected to create 300 construction jobs over the next three years and generate an estimated $1.2 million in annual property‑tax revenue after transfer to the city. Moreover, the affordable units will help anchor a socioeconomically diverse population in an area that has historically been dominated by higher‑income residents.

In the words of City Planning Director Alex Kim, “Linden Green is more than a building; it’s a statement that Columbus is moving toward a future where everyone can live, work, and thrive in proximity to transit, green space, and community.”

Key Links for Further Reading

• City of Columbus zoning approval: www.columbus.gov/Zoning/LindenGreen.pdf
• Linden Communities project page: www.lindencommunities.org/projects/linden-green
• Ohio Housing Finance Agency grant details: www.ohfa.org/grants/linden-green
• Prior Dispatch article on Green Line master plan: www.dispatch.com/story/news/2024/04/12/green-line-transit-vision/12345678/

As construction kicks off, the Linden community and Columbus at large will be watching closely to see whether the area can successfully blend affordable housing, transit accessibility, and community amenities into a model that could be replicated across the city’s growing urban core.