Columbus is Breaking Ground with America's Biggest Timber dorm

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This month at Forefront Structural Engineers, we’ve been proud to break ground on 9th & High, a project that represents not only a major milestone in mass timber construction but also a powerful example of what thoughtful structural design can help bring to life in today’s built environment. Read the full press release here.

Located just off the Ohio State University campus in Columbus, Ohio, 9th & High is rising as what will be the tallest mass timber student housing building in the United States; a 13-story, 242,000-square-foot development offering a mix of townhome-style residences and apartments for students.

This project was optimized for the North American supply chain, demonstrating that we can build tall mass timber cost-effectively in the heart of the Midwest, with our own forests in truly sustainable ways - Josh Dortzbach

Throughout this project, Forefront has been deeply engaged in the structural design of the full mass timber system, working in collaboration with American manufacturer SmartLam and the wider project team. The building uses a combination of domestically-sourced cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels and glulam columns and beams, all tied together with thoughtful connector detailing that helps achieve a two-hour fire resistance rating while supporting efficient framing and longer spans.

What makes 9th & High especially meaningful to us goes beyond its scale. Mass timber represents a shift toward lower-carbon, more sustainable structural systems, and this project demonstrates how those systems can be applied effectively in major urban student housing, helping reduce embodied carbon while celebrating wood’s natural warmth and character.

Progress on 9th & High also reflects the collaboration and persistence of a dedicated team; from our own engineers and project partners to the builders, architects, and developers who share a vision for a transformative campus community. As the structure rises in Columbus, every step forward is a reminder of the expertise and creativity our team brings to complex, high-performance projects.

We’re excited to be a part of this groundbreaking work, and even more excited to see where 9th & High leads next, for sustainable design, for student living, and for mass timber’s role in shaping the future of construction.