Shaping Dublin’s Future Through Strategic Land Acquisition

Great communities don’t happen by chance. They methodically take shape over years and decades with foresight, creativity and public-private partnership investments.

Perhaps nowhere is that more true than in Dublin, Ohio.

In addition to diligent planning, the City of Dublin pursues land acquisition and development to ensure every parcel achieves its highest and best use. This proactive strategy leads to robust infrastructure planning and cohesive development that results in quality of place for the entire community.

Dublin already has a nationally recognized success story in the public-private Bridge Park development, envisioned and assembled over the course of a decade and continues developing into a highly walkable district with housing, shops, restaurants, greenspace and more.

The strategy continues.

Land use and economic development are key tools for Dublin’s future. They are critical pieces of Dublin’s new Envision Dublin Community Plan, providing the framework for land use, development character and growth for the City and its planning area. Coupled with its Economic Development Strategic Plan, land acquisitions support the City’s growth of existing businesses as well as target industry clusters.

There’s a lot associated with acquiring land, from putting together the financing package to finalizing the deal with multiple landowners. With its strategic commitment to land acquisition, Dublin undertakes site capacity studies, 3D models with street views and streamlines their development review and approval processes to manage the influx of projects in the development pipeline.

The City of Dublin has executed its land acquisition and development strategy on thousands of acres, allowing the community to grow and develop in a cohesive and thoughtful way.

Many of the developments and parks that residents and visitors see today were once undeveloped with little more than a creative vision—a puzzle informed and put together by Envision Dublin and Dublin’s economic development strategic plan.

In September 2024, the City of Dublin closed on the acquisition of 243 acres of land on the community’s West side—including a 100-acre sports complex and private farm—with an eye toward economic development in the West Innovation District, recreational expansion and transportation enhancements. The West Innovation District could someday host a passenger rail station and will enable the completion of University Boulevard, enhance North-South connectivity, extend public utilities and support economic development in the West Innovation District.

The development also aligns with the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and supports Dublin’s goal to be a destination city of choice.

“Dublin is known for being a well-planned community,” says City Manager Megan O’Callaghan. “We’re very diligent and thoughtful about our planning, land acquisition, economic development agreements and related support. Together, these decisions are focused on making Dublin the most sustainable, connected and resilient global city of choice.”

To learn more about your economic development opportunities in the City of Dublin, visit www.ThriveInDublinOhio.com.