Massive Delaware County housing plan moves forward

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) -- People are flocking to Delaware County by the thousands, with more than 5,100 people moving to the county last year, according to the U.S. Census.

People are finding more businesses and development there, particularly in the southern part of the county. But that begs the question... where are all these people going to live?

Driving along U.S. 23 or Old State Road, there are housing developments for miles, with many more under construction. The most notable of those developments sits off Lewis Center Road, just down the road from Olentangy High School.

Evans Farm has been in the works for more than a decade now, and it remains one of the largest real estate projects of its type in the U.S.

"This is probably a decade-long play, if not more than that, but the interest is right,”  Zenios Michael Zenios, a general co-partner in Evans Farm, said.

The property spans more than 1,100 acres of farm fields, slowly converting into modern neighborhoods with high-end homes and apartments. They've also developed their own downtown area with businesses, restaurants, a brewery and more basic service providers moving in soon.

"The goal is to create something of today with the nostalgia of the past," Zenios said.

Only about 15% of the property is developed so far.  Included in the development is access to the newly announced Jennings Sports Park, with space for six adaptable fields for multiple sports. The property owners donated land to Olentangy Schools to build a new elementary school, with Peachblow Elementary opening this fall.

"I think that's probably a good example of the county's growth in a relatively small scale,” Delaware County Commissioner Jeff Benton said. "We work well together with the Evans Farm developers, with Orange Township, the roads, the sewers to provide the infrastructure so that growth could occur."

These new homes are not cheap, but the people moving into the area are generally entering the market in a position of financial strength. The median household income in Delaware County is $124,000, nearly double the Ohio state average of $67,000.

"The economic activity has to be there, the infrastructure has to be there, the school districts have to be there. All those are important pieces," Zenios said. "All those economic factors are already in play in Delaware County."