By 1808Delaware
A 22.8-acre stretch of land along U.S. Route 23 in Lewis Center just changed hands, and the buyer is making a clear statement. Summit Real Estate Group, a St. Louis-based developer with a national industrial portfolio, has paid $6.5 million for the site and plans to launch its first Central Ohio project there early next year.
The development, called 23 North Industrial Park, will bring two Class A industrial buildings totaling 317,880 square feet to one of the region’s fastest-growing commercial corridors. Construction is expected to begin in early 2026, positioning the project to catch continued demand for modern warehouse and logistics space.
Why Lewis Center Keeps Winning These Deals
The site sits in Orange Township, a jurisdiction that has quietly become a magnet for industrial investment. Proximity to U.S. Route 23, easy access to I-71, and strong regional infrastructure have made Lewis Center a logical extension of Central Ohio’s logistics spine. This project builds on momentum created by earlier industrial and flex developments, including projects backed by Tenby Partners and others. Together, they reflect a broader shift in the northern reaches of the Columbus metro, where industrial growth is no longer confined to the traditional I-270 belt.
What Summit Is Building and Who It’s For
23 North Industrial Park is designed for flexibility. Individual spaces will start at around 25,000 square feet, allowing Summit to accommodate both mid-sized users and larger regional operations. Leasing will be handled through firms including CBRE.
The buildings are aimed squarely at Class A industrial tenants. That means high clear heights, modern dock configurations, and layouts suited for logistics, warehousing, light manufacturing, and distribution. In practical terms, this is the kind of space sought by companies supporting e-commerce, automation, and advanced supply chains rather than traditional heavy industry.
A Calculated First Step Into Central Ohio
Summit’s entry into the Columbus market is deliberate. Founded in 1995, the firm has developed and managed more than 13 million square feet of space nationwide and executed over $1.25 billion in assets through its investment platforms. The Lewis Center project is being developed through its Arrowrock U.S. Industrial Fund V, signaling an institutional-scale commitment rather than a one-off experiment.
The company’s leadership team, led by CEO and founding partner John S. Ross, has focused much of its recent growth on logistics-oriented markets. Central Ohio, with its labor force, highway access, and expanding data and manufacturing ecosystem, fits that profile well.
What This Signals for the Community and Area
For Lewis Center and Orange Township, the project reinforces an ongoing transformation. Industrial development here is becoming more sophisticated and more intentional, tied closely to national supply chains and advanced manufacturing rather than speculative sprawl. The challenge, as always, will be balance. These projects bring jobs and tax base, but they also raise questions about traffic, infrastructure capacity, and land use. With construction still months away, there is time for residents and local leaders to track how this development unfolds and how it fits into the area’s longer-term vision.
One thing is clear. Central Ohio is no longer a market developers “plan to enter someday.” For firms like Summit, that someday has arrived, and Lewis Center is where they’ve chosen to plant their first flag.
