A Village on the Rise

Retaining a sense of charm while embracing significant expansion

Plain City is a small but mighty village in central Ohio, just minutes away from the bustling city of Columbus. Home to 4,687 residents, this vibrant community is on the brink of significant expansion, striving to preserve its idyllic small-town charm while embracing exciting new opportunities.

“A lot of people want to move to Plain City for the open spaces, small town feel, our focus on small businesses, and being away from the big city,” shares Village Administrator, Haley Lupton. “However, being part of the central Ohio area, we are seeing a lot of interest from developers, both residential and commercial. We’re working to manage growth in a way that serves the best interest of the village while preserving the small-town feel that draws people here.”

A Historic and Progressive Core

Plain City’s downtown district has undergone a transformation in recent years, thanks to both public and private investment. “We call it Uptown Plain City, because it’s on the up and up,” expands Development Manager, Jason Stanford. “It has gone from a very sleepy downtown area into a really up and coming neighborhood, and a lot of that has been driven by the residential growth happening in the community.”

Despite its small size, Plain City’s downtown is becoming a hub for dining, entertainment, and community gathering. “We had a number of existing buildings, but many required repair. Thanks to significant private investment, many were renovated and now we’ve had many more businesses open over the last five years or so,” describes Stanford. Along with a popular barbeque restaurant, as well as several other food and beverage options, the village will soon welcome even more dining and entertainment options. “There is an exciting project underway involving our historic clocktower building. Once it’s complete, we will have an exciting new restaurant, coffee shop, and event space that residents and visitors will love,” he says.

When it comes to retail expansion, space limitations are the biggest challenge. “We have a couple of great retailers that are the anchors right now, and we’ve been getting a lot of interest from others, but available space isn’t keeping up with the demand,” Stanford acknowledges. With this in mind, the village is considering infill options, and the extension of the downtown into surrounding areas.

Although Plain City does not currently have a downtown revitalization group, efforts are underway to establish a merchants’ association. “We’ve been meeting for about a year now, and we’re still formulating what exactly that group will work on,” says Stanford. “But what’s probably more important is that it is being led by the community itself. The Uptown has always been the heart of the community, and everyone wants to make sure it remains that way moving forward.”

The public square project is one example of how Plain City is bringing new vibrancy, while preserving the heritage of the community. At the center of this project is a historic 1880s railroad depot that was recently relocated from the Columbus area. “We have rebuilt it and are using it as an anchor for what was Plain City’s original public square. This was the center of community gatherings in the past, where the first churches, schoolhouse, and town hall were located,” Stanford details. “We’ve taken a big step forward, bringing in new to help preserve the old, and that’s got a lot of people excited.”

Expanding Uptown and Beyond

As efforts to transform Uptown progressed, it became evident that its historic regulations were limiting development opportunities. “We had a lot of historic guidelines,” recounts Village Planner Derek Hutchinson. “We took a look at our Uptown building stock, and we found that most of our buildings weren’t original. They had been through major renovations or had major fires and were reconstructed.” While only one of Plain City’s buildings is on the National Historic Register, this does not mean the community has lost its charm. Instead of focusing on stringent historic design standards, the village established an historic overlay district, making it easier and more appealing for developers to bring new life to the area while honoring the historic character of the downtown. Hutchinson asserts, “There will be new buildings, but they will still have historic characteristics. It won’t be like a modern style building in a historic district.”

Beyond Uptown, Plain City is addressing growing demands for services while creating opportunities for businesses and industries to thrive. “In the village limits we have a couple sites that are being developed for commercial uses,” outlines Hutchinson. “We have a 15-acre commercial development with multiple lots that will host restaurants, fast food, personal services, and potentially a grocery store. We have really been pushing to get that.”

A four-acre flex-industrial project will bring 90,000 square feet of space for office and light industrial operations. Along with this, the village is annexing 550 acres to add a regional commercial/industrial park to the community. “It will include roughly 40 acres of commercial use, such as banks, offices, restaurants and fast food, childcare, and medical,” Hutchinson reports. “The remaining acreage is for industrial development, offering endless possibilities. This will be one of the largest industrial parks in Ohio, and we are super excited about that.”

Residential Growth, Infrastructure, and a Quality of Life Focus

Plain City is undergoing a residential development boom, with seven projects under construction and eight more in the pipeline. “We currently have just under 1,900 new residential units being built,” Hutchinson reports. Additionally, five new developments have just begun construction, and approximately 3,000 residential units are awaiting the completion of utility infrastructure. While recent projects include mostly single-family options, the village is seeing an increasing demand for multi-family housing. Hutchinson points out that upcoming developments will feature a mix of housing types alongside commercial frontage.

With its water and sewer plants nearing capacity, Plain City decided in 2022 to partner with the Mid-Ohio Water and Sewer District, creating new opportunities for growth. Hutchinson elaborates, “The district is expanding utilities, providing us with additional capacity without requiring an expansion of our current plants. Our water plant, wastewater plant, lines, and water towers are now under the district’s control – we’re no longer in the water and sewer business.”

The project involves constructing new utility lines along an 11-mile corridor between Plain City and a neighboring community. These lines are expected to be operational by late 2027, with a new regional sewer plant anticipated for completion in early 2028. “So, there’s going to be a brief pause in new development, but not necessarily for projects currently under construction, until the utilities are in place,” Hutchinson says. “It will give us a little breathing room amidst all the development that’s happening.”

It Takes More than a Village

When it comes to collaboration, Plain City works closely with Union and Madison Counties, regional economic development groups like One Columbus, and private developers. “Basically, this is a learning curve for us,” Stanford admits. “We’ve not had a lot of development in the past, but we’re definitely seeing it now, especially with the new 550 acre industrial park. Partnerships are going to be key to our success.”

Last year, Plain City completed its first-ever economic development strategy to prepare for anticipated growth, identifying target industries and establishing a clear focus going forward. “We want to make sure that the businesses that locate here are the right fit for the community. We have to take a common sense approach to development,” maintains Stanford. Part of the effort includes leveraging proximity to major industries. “Intel is driving a lot of the economic development discussion in central Ohio, and we’re very much aware of that,” he says. “But we’re also focused on other industries, like automotive and advanced manufacturing, which remain dominant in the region.”

Bringing out the Best of Plain City

As Plain City continues its evolution, Lupton says she is guided by adaptability and a forward focus. “We can’t be everything to all people, and it’s important to resolve issues and move on to the next. We can’t take anything personally – we must stay focused on what’s best for our community,” she stresses. Stanford reinforces the village’s approach, noting “We are very creative. We’re very collaborative. We want to work with people, and as long as it is for the good of the community, we’re going to do it.” Looking ahead, Hutchinson concludes, “The decisions we make today are going to affect the future. We get one shot at this, and we want to make sure that we do it right.”

At a Glance

Who: Plain City, Ohio

What: A small village preparing for major growth

Where: Union and Madison Counties, Ohio

Website: www.plain-city.com