COLUMBUS—ODW Logistics, Inc. has outgrown the office space at its 85-acre campus south of downtown and decided to move its executive team and several other departments to the historic Buggyworks building in the city's Arena District. The move provides another boost to the district, which Nationwide Realty Investors has transformed into a centerpiece of Columbus' reviving CBD.

“From the moment we walked into the 100-year-old Buggyworks building and saw its massive wood beams, soaring ceilings, exposed brick, hardwood floors and flood of natural light, we knew that this was going to be our new home,” says ODW president and chief executive officer John Ness. “The Columbus Buggy Co. was the nation's leading buggy manufacturer at one time. Those buggies supported the first large-scale logistics movement in the world. How many other companies can say that their office space provides a historic reminder of the power of their industry?”

The 3PL provider will move between 65 and 70 people to the new 19,700 square foot second floor space including its sales, solutions engineering, HR, finance and risk management and IT operations. M+A Architects designed the space, which will allow ODW to grow its Arena District workforce to 97. Over the next three years, ODW Logistics plans to invest about $1.85 million in building improvements and information technology and expects the new space to both attract and help retain top talent.

“We are very pleased to welcome another growing company to the Arena District,” says Nationwide Realty Investors president and chief operating officer Brian J. Ellis. “ODW is a nationally recognized company on a tremendous growth trajectory. Their enthusiasm speaks volumes for the momentum of this project.”

ODW has more than 1,000 employees across the US and operates from a 1.5 million-square-foot warehousing campus off of Groveport Rd. “We have 40,000 square feet of office space on our campus and have grown beyond capacity,” says Ness. “After an extensive review of all of our options, including expanding our own campus, we concluded that the Arena District's great energy, outstanding amenities and access to Spring St. would be a perfect fit for both our culture and our need to be able to efficiently access our other locations in Ohio and throughout the US.”

In this agreement, Nationwide Realty Investors was represented by its real estate director Christopher Bradley in partnership with Wayne Harer of Continental Realty. ODW was represented by John Boll from Cushman & Wakefield. ODW plans to move into the new space by fall 2016.

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Downtown Columbus Getting Another Headquarters

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