Continental’s Frank Kass well-versed in Westerville development

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Continental Real Estate Chairman Frank Kass.

Brian R. Ball

Staff reporter- Columbus Business First

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News that Continental Real Estate Cos. and Continental Realty Ltd. will serve as consultants to efforts to develop 62 acres in Westerville continues a 36-year relationship between the city and Continental Chairman Frank Kass.

Kass told a news conference regarding his firm's consulting role that it brings back memories of how he cut his teeth as a commercial real estate developer in the city in 1978. That's the year he expanded his business interest outside of office furniture with the start of development of the Brooksedge office park along Interstate 270.

"Westerville was the starting point of my (development) career," he said.

Two decades later, Continental brought a Meijer store to a broader, 80-acre mixed-use development at Maxtown Road and Route 3.

"We understand what you all are looking for," he said.

Continental will not take exclusivity on the Westar Place land the city bought this year, he said.

"We're not here to monopolize what gets developed," Kass told city officials, Continental staff and others. "We're going to coordinate it."

He said the project will benefit from the infrastructure Jerome Solove Development and the city put into what was once known as the Altair Business Park. The city has rebranded the commercial park Westar Place.

"It's good to start with the infrastructure in," he said.

Brian R. Ball covers commercial real estate and development for Columbus Business First.