By 1808Delaware
A new neighborhood is beginning to take shape on Delaware’s east side, where streets once shown only on development plans are now lined with finished houses, model homes and properties awaiting their first residents.
M/I Homes has begun selling single-family homes in Northwood, a residential community near State Route 521 and Byxbe Parkway. Homes begin at $355,900, giving buyers a dozen floor plans and a choice between sections in the Delaware City and Buckeye Valley school districts. The houses now appearing along Brittany and Charlie drives, however, are only one part of a much larger project. Northwood ultimately could bring 1,168 residences to approximately 230 acres east of downtown Delaware.
More Than 251 Homes
The latest phase approved by the city contains 251 single-family lots on 95.284 acres. Delaware City Council approved that portion in February following a unanimous recommendation from the Planning Commission. That number does not include Northwood’s first 106 M/I lots, which were approved in April 2025 across three sections totaling 25.385 acres.
Combined, the two approvals allow M/I Homes to construct 357 single-family houses in Northwood’s Subarea B. The latest 251-home plan completes the company’s approved portion of the larger neighborhood.
The first sales already have produced closings. Three homes on Brittany Drive sold in mid-August for prices ranging from $381,110 to $459,200, according to Northwood sales information updated Aug. 27. Dozens of other houses are listed as available for immediate or near-term occupancy.
Two Collections and Two School Districts
Northwood offers two M/I home collections with a notable difference beneath the first floor.
The Smart Discovery Collection includes slab-foundation homes without basements. Those plans range from 1,520 to 2,755 square feet, with three or four bedrooms, and begin at $355,900. Discovery homes are located within the Buckeye Valley Local School District.
The Smart Inspire Collection includes basements and optional three-car garages on selected plans. Those houses range from 1,440 to 2,499 square feet and begin at $398,900. Most are within Delaware City Schools.
Across both collections, buyers can choose one- or two-story layouts with traditional, farmhouse and craftsman-style exteriors. Available plans include the Hinkle, Amberly, Brecksville, Delaware, Fostoria, Edgewood and Fairfield, among others. The neighborhood also incorporates ponds, green space and walking and biking paths. Its sales center and furnished model are located at 1215 Brittany Drive and are open daily from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
A Neighborhood Within a Much Larger Plan
Delaware approved the overall Northwood plan in April 2024 after months of consideration and revisions. The property was divided into three subareas, each intended for a different form of housing. In addition to M/I’s 357 houses, Subarea A is approved for the Reserve at Northbourne, a 360-unit apartment development on 21.51 acres near State Route 521 and Byxbe Parkway.
Plans approved by the city call for 15 residential buildings, along with a clubhouse, dog park, garages and surface parking. An eight-foot path will connect the development with Kensington Place Park and continue north toward the M/I neighborhood.
Subarea C could eventually contain another 451 multifamily residences on 83.38 acres. That portion has been associated with Wilcox Communities and is expected to include ranch-style apartments and two-story townhomes, although a detailed development plan has not yet reached final city approval.
Together, the three subareas account for Northwood’s maximum of 1,168 residences:
- 357 single-family homes
- 360 apartments at the Reserve at Northbourne
- Up to 451 apartments and townhomes in the future third subarea
The master plan also provides approximately 56.86 acres of open space across the development.
Roads Will Determine What Comes Next
Traffic and access have followed Northwood through much of the approval process. For the first M/I sections, Delaware required construction vehicles to use Byxbe Parkway rather than travel through the adjoining Kensington Place neighborhood. Connections at Ashburn and Brittany drives were designated for emergency access while construction continued. The completion of Byxbe Parkway also will influence the timing of Northwood’s remaining development. The future 451-unit subarea cannot begin until the required parkway extension is completed.
A separate transportation project eventually will extend the four-lane parkway south from its existing roadway to U.S. 36 and State Route 37 near Glen Road. The $5 million city-county project is expected to begin in 2027.
For now, activity is concentrated on Northwood’s single-family streets, where the first residents are arriving and M/I is marketing homes ranging from the mid-$300,000s into the low $500,000s. The sales launch marks a visible beginning for a project that, at full buildout, will be less a subdivision than an entirely new section of Delaware.
