Your renovations should be functional and durable.

If this kitchen represents what is typical in your local rentals then make it clean and functional and get it rented.

Partnership;  My business partner owns the largest landscaping outfit in my area and because of that he has a number of connections that are beneficial to our cause as well as heavy equipment and wholesale cost on landscaping if/when needed. 

Does anyone have any tips or tricks as to how to optimize their function to reduce the bill, or even perhaps another suggestion entirely regarding HVAC?

They rented your place for an agreed price and you're now offering them reduced functionality and features for the same price unless you're willing to cut them a big break on the rent.

Columbus is also the 14th largest city in the country, and the only large northern city to grow by more than 10% from 2010 to 2017. 

@Aaron Edmondson why not just get the house liveable (functional and safe) and rent it out for a little below market because it’s not perfect, and let the tenant pay down the mortgage as the value rises.

More than 4 units the value should be primary function of cap rate and NOI.  

This is more a function of your market place though.

Many times, you are representing other people in what is likely the largest financial undertaking of their lives.