From free-standing residences to multi-unit complexes, from minimal tangential services to community pool and clubhouse offerings, condominium opportunities run the gamut in Dublin.
Among the Dublin communities with condos are Brighton Woods, Carrowmoor, Cramer’s Crossing Village, Dublin Village, Heather Glen North, Kendall Ridge, the Lakes of Ballantrae, the Lakes at Dunmere, the Manor at Craughwell Village, the Mews at Muirfield, the Mews at Tuttle Crossing, Old Dublin Woods, Saint Andrews Village, Tartan West, the TreeTops at Brandon, the Village at Corbin’s Mill, the Village at Heatherstone, the Village of Balgriffin, the Village of Scioto, the Villas at Ballantrae and Willow Grove.
The City’s attractions play a big role in bringing people to condos here – top-rated schools, bike paths, parks and green space, and the Dublin Community Recreation Center, as well as the City’s careful planning and heightened zoning. Retail businesses are convenient to condo communities without overwhelming them, and the City works with developers to connect bike paths and sidewalks for additional access.
Among the major draws for aspiring condo owners is the wide array of options. Sizes range roughly from 1,000 to 4,000 square feet, prices can go from the low $100,000s to the mid-$500,000s, and there are old and new options in all categories. That means first-time homebuyers who need to keep costs low have options, as do empty-nesters looking to downsize.
The Manor at Craughwell and Saint Andrews Village, among others, offer multi-unit living, while condos such as those at Tartan West’s Savona and the Mews at Muirfield offer all the comforts of single-family living without the hassles of lawn care and exterior maintenance. There are even tentative plans for urban-style condos in the BriHi district behind Oscars restaurant; the mixed-use development, designed by OHM Advisors, would include 31 residential units.
Dave and Sue Dieterle, looking to downsize after becoming empty-nesters, moved to Savona at Tartan West last year. The floor plans, Sue says, were a big selling point for the condos, which were built in 2004 in a secluded section of Tartan West, offering luxury sans maintenance concerns.
The condos are close to a variety of walking paths, as well as to Glacier Ridge Metro Park, both important to the Dieterles. They had also grown accustomed to the benefits of living in Dublin, including the schools and attentive road maintenance, and wanted to hold onto those things.
“We looked at other suburbs, but we were comfortable with Dublin and with the services Dublin offers, so we decided to stay in Dublin,” Sue says.
Savona square footage ranges from the upper 2,000s to the lower 3,000s, with a few climbing to the upper 3,000s. Home values range from the mid-$200,000s to the upper $400,000s.
An attractive option for those looking to live close to Historic Dublin is Saint Andrews Village, multi-unit condo buildings within walking distance of the City’s downtown area. Richard Clark – who lives there with his wife, Sarah, and their three children – describes it as “almost close to everything.”
The Clarks have lived in Saint Andrews since 2002. They moved to Dublin for the schools, and the schools have kept them here, as have the green spaces and the proximity to Downtown.
“We can walk right to the start of the parade” on St. Patrick’s Day, Richard says.
Values for the 1980-built Saint Andrews condos are in the low $100,000s. Square footage averages about 1,000.
Muirfield is a neighborhood with a different kind of close-to-the-action appeal, and while most of the houses there are single-family, there are condo options, such as the Mews at Muirfield. Jim and Deborah Dobbs lived in a single-family home in Muirfield beginning in 1977, raising three children there. Wanting to remain part of the community, the couple downsized to a condo in the Mews in 1998.
The condominium association takes care of snow removal, painting, mowing and maintenance of trees and bushes, giving residents more time to appreciate the nearby bike paths, walking paths, parks and, of course, golf course. Those options afford the Dobbses plenty of opportunities for entertainment – as well as for their four grandchildren, who often come to visit.
“We’re within walking distance of the pool and a great recreation area,” Jim says.
Mews condos are generally priced in the upper $100,000s and lower $200,000s, though a few climb to the mid-$200,000s. All of the units, built in 1977, clock in just below 2,300 square feet.
The multi-unit, stone-and-brick Manor at Craughwell Village condos had the perfect look for Jason McGarvey, who moved there from
northwest Columbus five years ago. The condo association covers all exterior maintenance, and the community offers a pool, a fitness center and plenty of green space, as well as a clubhouse that residents can rent.
It’s a great community for young professionals, McGarvey says, and shows how well the City understands the dynamics of an up-and-coming suburban neighborhood. It doesn’t hurt that it’s a prime location, too, close to grocery stores, restaurants and bike paths and is within a mile of the Community Recreation Center.
“We can actually walk to more things living here than if we lived in downtown Columbus,” says McGarvey.
Home values in Craughwell, which was built in 1998, hover around the lower $100,000s, with a handful slightly below that mark. Square footage ranges from about 900 to 1,100.
Garth Bishop is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.
