Ordinance Authorizes $125,000 Grant for North Market Operational Support During Merchant Building Construction
Merchant Building contractual completion was scheduled for September 2026, but current projected substantial completion date is May 3, 2027.
Columbus City Council is scheduled to hold a first reading on Monday, Oct. 19, on Ordinance 2773-2026. The legislation authorizes the city to enter into a Grant Agreement with North Market Development Authority, Inc. for the purpose of providing operational support to the nonprofit organization and/or small businesses operating within the North Market as a result of construction of the adjacent Merchant Building during calendar year 2026. Under the measure, council would authorize the transfer and expenditure of up to $125,000.00 from the General Fund pursuant to the Grant Agreement.
The exterior of North Market at 59 Spruce Street in Columbus.
Credit: Ɱ / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Image source
Official city records disclose that the contractual completion date was scheduled to be September 28, 2026 for the Merchant Building, but the current projected substantial completion date is May 3, 2027 for the Merchant Building. Because of the timeline extension, the Grantee has requested up to one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000.00) for calendar year 2026.
City council records state that the construction activities on the adjacent former North Market parking lot (the “Merchant Building”) that began in autumn 2023 have impacted the ability for patrons to access the North Market by ways of limiting parking and entrance into the North Market. The legislation specifies that this grant will allow for the continual operation of the North Market by the Grantee during the construction of the Merchant Building through 2026 by advancing and reimbursing funds including operating expenses incurred by the Grantee prior to the execution of the purchase order starting January 1, 2026.
The funding continues multi-year municipal support initiated after construction staging began. In accordance with Ordinance Nos. 2137-2023, 0804-2024, and 2777-2025, the Director of the Department of Development entered into with the Grantee the Grant Agreement dated December 12, 2023, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Grant Agreement dated November 6, 2025, for the advancement and reimbursement of funds for the Grantee’s operation of the North Market to help mitigate the business disruption to the North Market and the small businesses operating there during calendar years 2023, 2024, and 2025 caused by the Merchant Building construction. Under municipal property agreements, the City owns and leases a longstanding public market on Franklin County Auditor Tax Parcel No. 010-054645 (the “North Market”) to the North Market Development Authority, Inc..
Development plans describe the high-rise: A new mixed-use, 32-story mixed-use office and residential tower to be known as Merchant Building is expected to open in 2026 in the North Market neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio.
Previously, Ordinance 2231-2026 Approved for the North Market Grand Atrium.
The 30-day legislation, assigned to council's Economic Development & Small and Minority Business Committee, is scheduled for its first reading during council's regular meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19.
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The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Columbus City Council · 2026-10-19
Supporting evidence (2)
The legislation authorizes the city to enter into a Grant Agreement with North Market Development Authority, Inc. for the purpose of providing operational support to the nonprofit organization and/or small businesses operating within the North Market as a result of construction of the adjacent Merchant Building during calendar year 2026.
Read supporting passage
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Grant Agreement with North Market Development Authority, Inc. for the purpose of providing operational support to the nonprofit organization and/or small businesses operating within the North Market as a result of construction of the adjacent Merchant Building during calendar year 2026; to authorize the transfer and expenditure of up to $125,000.00 from the General Fund pursuant to the Grant Agreement
Under the measure, council would authorize the transfer and expenditure of up to $125,000.00 from the General Fund pursuant to the Grant Agreement.
Read supporting passage
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Grant Agreement with North Market Development Authority, Inc. for the purpose of providing operational support to the nonprofit organization and/or small businesses operating within the North Market as a result of construction of the adjacent Merchant Building during calendar year 2026; to authorize the transfer and expenditure of up to $125,000.00 from the General Fund pursuant to the Grant Agreement
Supporting evidence (6)
Official city records disclose that the contractual completion date was scheduled to be September 28, 2026 for the Merchant Building, but the current projected substantial completion date is May 3, 2027 for the Merchant Building.
Read supporting passage
As the contractual completion date was scheduled to be September 28, 2026 for the Merchant Building, but the current projected substantial completion date is May 3, 2027 for the Merchant Building, the Grantee has requested up to one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000.00) for calendar year 2026.
Because of the timeline extension, the Grantee has requested up to one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000.00) for calendar year 2026.
Read supporting passage
As the contractual completion date was scheduled to be September 28, 2026 for the Merchant Building, but the current projected substantial completion date is May 3, 2027 for the Merchant Building, the Grantee has requested up to one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000.00) for calendar year 2026.
City council records state that the construction activities on the adjacent former North Market parking lot (the “Merchant Building”) that began in autumn 2023 have impacted the ability for patrons to access the North Market by ways of limiting parking and entrance into the North Market.
Read supporting passage
WHEREAS, the construction activities on the adjacent former North Market parking lot (the “Merchant Building”) that began in autumn 2023 have impacted the ability for patrons to access the North Market by ways of limiting parking and entrance into the North Market; and
The legislation specifies that this grant will allow for the continual operation of the North Market by the Grantee during the construction of the Merchant Building through 2026 by advancing and reimbursing funds including operating expenses incurred by the Grantee prior to the execution of the purchase order starting January 1, 2026.
Read supporting passage
WHEREAS, this grant will allow for the continual operation of the North Market by the Grantee during the construction of the Merchant Building through 2026 by advancing and reimbursing funds including operating expenses incurred by the Grantee prior to the execution of the purchase order starting January 1, 2026; and
In accordance with Ordinance Nos. 2137-2023, 0804-2024, and 2777-2025, the Director of the Department of Development entered into with the Grantee the Grant Agreement dated December 12, 2023, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Grant Agreement dated November 6, 2025, for the advancement and reimbursement of funds for the Grantee’s operation of the North Market to help mitigate the business disruption to the North Market and the small businesses operating there during calendar years 2023, 2024, and 2025 caused by the Merchant Building construction.
Under municipal property agreements, the City owns and leases a longstanding public market on Franklin County Auditor Tax Parcel No. 010-054645 (the “North Market”) to the North Market Development Authority, Inc..
Read supporting passage
The City owns and leases a longstanding public market on Franklin County Auditor Tax Parcel No. 010-054645 (the “North Market”) to the North Market Development Authority, Inc., an Ohio nonprofit corporation
https://yieldpro.com/2024/06/merchant-building/
Supporting evidence (1)
Development plans describe the high-rise: A new mixed-use, 32-story mixed-use office and residential tower to be known as Merchant Building is expected to open in 2026 in the North Market neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio.
Read supporting passage
A new mixed-use, 32-story mixed-use office and residential tower to be known as Merchant Building is expected to open in 2026 in the North Market neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio.
Ordinance 2231-2026 Approved for the North Market Grand Atrium
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Ordinance 2231-2026 Approved for the North Market Grand Atrium.
Read supporting passage
Ordinance 2231-2026 Approved for the North Market Grand Atrium