A largely vacated office tower built back in the 1970s in downtown Columbus is now a 26-story example of how properties can be revived in the modern age.
The Continental Tower — formerly the Continental Centre — is now a mixed-use residential building with 409 apartment units. Washington, D.C.-based The Bernstein Cos. is the owner and developer behind the transformation, and HGC Construction served as the general contractor.
The project was recognized as the redevelopment of the year in Columbus as part of the 2026 CoStar Impact Awards, which were judged by real estate professionals familiar with the market.
The building was preserved and is now protected on the National Register of Historic Places. Features such as its original tinted glass windows and quartzite wall cladding in the lobby and mezzanine were retained.
Redeveloping the building brought in more than $100 million in investment into the city of Columbus, created hundreds of construction jobs and now supports dozens of permanent jobs in property management, retail and related services.
About the project: The 26-story building at 150 E. Gay St. in Columbus, Ohio, has 409 apartment units and 549,720 square feet of gross building area.
What the judges said: "It's a major, significant redevelopment of an obsolete office building and will have a big impact for the Gay Street corridor and downtown," said Skip Weiler, president of The Robert Weiler Co.
They made it happen: Phil Aftuck, managing director of investments; Gregory Rooney, senior vice president of development; and Dave Thackston, vice president of construction at The Bernstein Cos. are responsible for the ownership and development of the building. Jake Suer, vice president of HGC Construction, served as general contractor.