The project, near Ohio State University in Columbus, was topped out 10 weeks ahead of schedule.
Intro Columbus, a 13-story structure measuring out at 158 feet tall and 242,000 square feet, is the tallest mass timber student housing project in the country, DLR Group, the builder said. It will house 186 units when it opens next year. The construction team said the building, which only broke ground in September of 2025 and uses glulam columns and beams along with cross-laminated timber panels, reached construction speeds of two-and-a-half floors every two to three weeks. The fast build-out allowed work crews to do interior framing and MEP rough-in as well as exterior wall panels and window installations on lower floors, the builders said.
“The erection went about as smoothly as you could ask for,” said Shane Warner, superintendent for Elford Construction, which is serving as the general contractor superintendent. We had a great team, a tight sequence and a lot of people who knew exactly where they needed to be.”
The timber, which the building group said is sourced domestically from Alabama, also bears environmental benefits. It will save 1,128 metric tons of carbon compared to a steel and concrete design, they said.
Other participants in the project include Chicago-based Forefront Structural Engineers; Dothan, AL-based mass timber manufacturer SmartLam North America; and Columbus-based property manager Coastal Ridge.
