West Innovation District

In January 2025, Dublin City Council adopted the goal to “Accelerate Economic Development in the West Innovation District” and spur development and infrastructure investment in the District.

The West Innovation District (WID) represents the future growth potential of the city's far western corridor with a goal to establish a world-class innovation and research district that serves as an economic engine for Dublin, with the broader goal of creating a self-sustaining cycle of innovation that works together with the educational institutions and companies in the district to constantly provide talent and opportunities for collaboration within the region.

WID is targeted for office, research, laboratory and clean manufacturing uses. With a focus on “speed to build,” the area is ideal for quality projects requiring predictable development review processes.

Planning in the WID is geared to meet the needs of today’s development environment. Freeway visibility and access, proximity to Ohio University-Dublin Campus and R&D locations along the 33 Smart Mobility Corridor make this business neighborhood the ideal setting for modern enterprise campuses.

From employment options, expanded greenways and park areas, opportunities for passenger rail and a signature bike trail to the revenue from new businesses, hotels, events and tourism prospects, the City’s residents, business community and visitors will benefit from WID’s innovative services and amenities that make Dublin such a desirable community to live and work.

Implementation Strategy

The City has engaged Planning NEXT to develop a West Innovation District implementation strategy, focused on roadway infrastructure and utility planning. Land use recommendations were adopted with the Envision Dublin Community Plan. The strategy will develop modeling scenarios for potential street, water and sanitary sewer buildouts to determine the feasibility of development, providing greater predictability in future decision-making for improvements to the area.

The integrated implementation strategy will:

• Foster an authentic innovation focus to establish a distinct identity for WID.
• Enhance connectivity and infrastructure through multimodal transportation, passenger rail integration and key utility improvements.
• Drive innovation, sustainability and resilience by incorporating future-ready technologies, advanced stormwater management and utility solutions aligned with Envision Dublin’s goals.
• Optimize land and resource planning by identifying key parcels for development and transportation infrastructure, outlining land use triggers and aligning service capacity needs to support growth.
• Streamline development processes to ensure smooth regulatory implementation, attract investment and improve regional cooperation.

The plan incorporates two planning areas into the project’s scope:

• WID Special Area Plan - 2,250 acres of land bound by Shier-Rings Road, S.R. 161, U.S. 33, Avery Road and Houchard Road
• WID+ - 7,091 acres north and west of the corporate limits of Dublin.
• These two areas are separated in the plan due to current service limitations for utilities outside the WID Special Area Plan. The plan will provide more in-depth analysis, mapping and recommendations for property within the Special Area Plan while providing a more general analysis of the greater region of the WID+ and what is occurring in adjacent jurisdictions.

Strategic Land Acquisition

In October 2024, the City of Dublin announced a strategic land acquisition of approximately 243 acres in the West Innovation District. This acquisition, valued at $44.6 million, includes parcels in both Franklin and Madison Counties and encompasses SportsOhio, Shepherd Excavating and Carter Farms.

This acquisition advances City Council’s strategic framework and visionary goals as well as several strategic plans, including the Envision Dublin Community Plan update and Economic Development Strategic Plan. It will also enable the completion of University Boulevard, enhancing north-south connectivity, extending public utilities and supporting economic development in the West Innovation District.