Edwards Companies propose Capitol Square towers with Vorys offices and 12-story apartments on Third and State

Plans filed for two-building project on long-vacant Capitol Square parcel

A new mixed-use development is proposed for a surface parking lot at the northeast corner of Third and State streets on Capitol Square, a site that has remained undeveloped for decades. The concept submitted for review calls for two connected buildings: a 12-story residential tower and a seven-story office building, separated by a third-floor courtyard.

The office component is planned to be anchored by Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, which has operated in downtown Columbus since the early 20th century and currently maintains its longstanding presence near the Statehouse on East Gay Street. The proposal indicates the firm would relocate into the new office building once completed.

How the proposal fits into the broader Capitol Square Renaissance

The project would be developed in the same downtown footprint as the multi-phase Capitol Square Renaissance, a large redevelopment effort led by Edwards Companies that targets multiple blocks of surface parking lots and underutilized parcels south of East Broad Street. The state previously awarded $33 million in Transformational Mixed-Use Development (TMUD) tax credits to the Capitol Square Renaissance program, part of Ohio’s incentive framework designed to support large, mixed-use redevelopment in urban cores.

Earlier phases tied to the same redevelopment program have already reshaped nearby blocks. The Preston Centre, a conversion of the former PNC Tower into a mixed-use building with residences and ground-floor dining, has been completed. Another major component, the Pembroke residential tower at 195 E. Broad St., opened in 2025 with 164 apartments.

Separate 12-story Fourth Street apartment building already advanced through review

In a related but separate filing under the Capitol Square Renaissance umbrella, a 12-story mixed-use apartment building planned for South Fourth Street has moved forward through design review. That building, approved by the Downtown Commission in December 2025, is planned for a current surface parking lot between the Preston Centre and the YWCA.

Plans for the South Fourth Street building include 218 apartment units across nine residential floors, ground-floor commercial space, and structured parking with 225 spaces. The project also includes resident amenities such as rooftop gathering areas and landscaped outdoor spaces, and it is designed to connect with an elevated pedestrian walkway known as Preston Park.

Key elements in the current proposals

• Third-and-State concept: 12-story residential tower paired with a seven-story office building, organized around a third-floor courtyard.
• Office anchor: Vorys is identified as the principal office user and would shift operations to the new space upon completion.
• Fourth Street building: 12-story mixed-use apartment development approved in December 2025, with 218 apartments, 225 structured parking spaces, and ground-floor commercial space.

The proposals represent continued movement on a multi-block redevelopment strategy aimed at replacing surface parking with housing, offices, and street-level activity in the Capitol Square area.

Next steps depend on the public review process and project scheduling, including final design approvals and construction timelines. No completion date for the Third-and-State proposal was confirmed in the submitted materials.