Converting a 3-unit building to a quad near OSU campus

[Sonam Gill]

I am closing on a 3-unit next week near OSU, and my inspector and contractor both advised of the option to divide the large first floor into two units, making the building a quad. Does anyone have experience doing this? Are there specific permits you need to pull for an appraiser/city to recognize the property as a quad? Specific specs that need to be included (separate metering, etc.) Generally trying to understand the process! Thanks! 

[Remington Lyman]

Originally posted by @Andy Pham:

Originally posted by @Justin Garland:

@Sonam Gill

Sonam,

Your conversion from a 3 family to 4 will require a change of use and more importantly move your unit from residential to commercial which triggers a litany of zoning requirements to conform (parking, FAR, refuse, etc.). I work almost exclusively in the University District. Feel free to reach out if you have more questions.

 Wait, 4 units is commercial? I thought 1-4 units was residential and 5+ units were considered commercial. Is it different in Columbus?

Franklin County considers 4+ unit buildings are commercial. You can get residential loans on 1-4 units, though. Most people mistakenly using commercial debt and commercial zoning interchangeably. The local zoning can consider anything they want commercial.

To make things more complicated, you can get commercial loans on single-family properties.

See the below examples in Columbus, Ohio.