A new mixed-use development featuring a flagship Italian restaurant, retail space, and luxury apartments is moving forward in Downtown Hilliard following a development agreement between the Hilliard Development Corporation and Westwood Collective, according to the City of Hilliard.
The project will redevelop the former Chase bank property at 4056 E. Main St., transforming the site into a nearly 23,000-square-foot mixed-use destination while preserving the original bank building.
Andy Warnock, founder and CEO of Westwood Collective, confirmed to What Now Columbus that the development is expected to include a roughly 6,000-square-foot Italian restaurant housed within the former Chase branch, along with an addition to the existing structure.
The broader project also calls for nearly 7,000 square feet of additional commercial space, 11 residential units, and expanded parking.
“We were selected through the City of Hilliard’s RFP process,” Warnock told What Now Columbus.
He went on to add: “Westwood Collective is a full-service development firm headquartered in Hilliard, and we’re excited to bring a project of this scale to the community.”
According to Warnock, the residential component will consist of five one-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom units. The development will also include 46 parking spaces within the site, five additional on-street spaces, a pedestrian alley with café seating and string lighting, and a community gathering area featuring turf, seating, and a stage.
While the restaurant operator has not yet been publicly announced, Warnock shared that Westwood Collective is close to finalising an agreement with a local, award-winning hospitality team.
The Italian restaurant is being designed as a scratch-kitchen concept focused on authenticity, simplicity, and hospitality. Planned features include a visible pasta-making station where guests can watch fresh pasta being rolled and cut, a second-floor mezzanine overlooking the dining room, private event space, and valet parking along Norwich Street.
One of the building’s most unique features will be the adaptive reuse of the former bank vault, which is expected to be converted into a wine cellar located behind the restaurant’s main bar.
“We are not entering an oversaturated Italian market,” Warnock said. “We are introducing a refined, scratch-kitchen Italian experience into a growing suburb that is ready for a flagship concept.”
Additional commercial tenants are also being explored. Warnock said discussions are underway with potential operators in categories including smash burgers, ice cream, smoothies, and office users. He expects the commercial spaces to be leased before construction begins.
The project is anticipated to go before Planning and Zoning in July and City Council in August. If approvals move forward as expected, construction could begin as early as October, with completion targeted for early 2028.
Once complete, the redevelopment is expected to add a significant new dining destination and community gathering space to Downtown Hilliard while preserving one of the area’s most recognisable buildings.
