New Albany: Developments and News

Posted July 11, 200519 yr

From ThisWeek newspapers, 7/7/05:

Group studies aspects of 'village center'

Committee ultimately to recommend conceptual plan to boards, commissions

Thursday, July 7, 2005

By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Staff Writer

A group of community residents continued June 30 to try to define what is appropriate for New Albany's "village center," this time focusing primarily on land around Market Street and south of Dublin-Granville Road. According to planning consultant Jason Sudy of Myers Schmalenberger MSI of Columbus, the village is working to design a conceptual plan for the village center based on the way the land in the study area has developed and expectations for future development.

At last week's meeting, Sudy showed plans for more retail and possible housing north of Market Street on both sides of U.S. Route 62. Residential use could continue south of Market Street, he said. Keith Myers of MSI said forward-thinking municipalities plan a redundancy of road connections. The concept presented June 30 showed the extension of Village Hall Road and Market Street to Reynoldsburg-New Albany Road, and the extension of Ackerly Farms Road north into more residential areas.

July 11, 200519 yr

I love faux cities

August 2, 200519 yr

Author

These are from the same people who are building the project in Bexley. From ThisWeek Newspapers, 7/28/05:

Lofts proposed for village center

Building owners would have option for second-floor residential

Thursday, July 28, 2005

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

Skilken Properties hopes to build mercantile buildings with the potential for residential second-floor lofts on two acres on the west side of U.S. Route 62 between Third Street and U.S. Bank. Frank Petruziello of Skilken Properties presented the plan informally to the New Albany Planning Commission in July. It calls for 23 two-story buildings facing U.S. 62. Third Street would be extended west to provide access to parking behind the buildings. Another access would be built off an alley extension to the north of the project.

The plan is something New Albany planners can appreciate, having recommended a similar type of building to the committee reviewing and updating plans for the center of the village. Petruziello said the first floor of the buildings could be used for office or light mercantile. The second floor could be used the same way or could be developed into housing. Each building would be sold and a condominium association would be set up if housing is established.

August 5, 200519 yr

When I lived in Houston, I remember reading an article from the NY Times, more or less mocking Houston for building brand new buildings with loft apartments.

I loved reading it because I hated the "city" of Houston. But it is kind of funny that you would build a new building, and make it look like it was a re-hab of an old building

August 5, 200519 yr

Loft apartments in New Albany (shakes head)

Just another example that this isn't your parents New Albany anymore. :|

August 5, 200519 yr

Author

It's funny that "loft" is being used as a synonym for "condo" or even "apartment" these days.

August 8, 200519 yr

Author

From ThisWeek Newspapers, 8/4/05:

PHOTO: The before (left) and after photos of the view looking south of U.S. Route 62 toward the intersection of state Route 605 and Dublin-Granville Road.

Village core

Committee studies ways to expand

Thursday, August 4, 2005

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The old downtown blocks in the village of New Albany can be expanded, in part by extending some roads that have been stubbed, to accommodate more retail and commercial uses and different types of housing. A committee studying the village center saw a plan July 28 that showed existing businesses and ways to add more, with the possibility of more dense residential use in the area, such as second-floor apartments or apartment and condominium complexes.

Keith Myers of Myers Schmalenberger MSI said Main Street could continue as a mix of commercial and residential uses with a possible small village green at the northeast corner of Main and High streets (U.S. Route 62 at state Route 605). More dense housing could be included between High and Main, possibly as far as Miller Avenue, if any of those properties are redeveloped, he said.

August 8, 200519 yr

Author

Well, this may not happen now, mostly because of that vague "open space" bullsh!t. From ThisWeek Newspapers, 8/4/05:

Loft proposal tabled pending ARB review

Thursday, August 4, 2005

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The New Albany Planning Commission tabled 10 of the 12 applications it reviewed Monday in a four-hour marathon meeting. It was 10:30 p.m. when the commission was ready to review 23 two-story retail and residential buildings proposed on two acres along U.S. Route 62 in the old village center. Frank Petruziello of Skilken Properties promised to be brief. Planning commission wound up tabling the application to September, pending review by the Architecture Review Board slated for Aug. 8.

August 16, 200519 yr

Author

They still might happen. From ThisWeek Newspapers (New Albany), 8/11/05:

ARB recommends loft concept; members ask for another review

Thursday, August 11, 2005

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The New Albany Architecture Review Board (ARB) on Monday recommended approval of the Main Street Lofts project, provided that the developers return with more architectural renderings. Skilken Properties wants a rezoning to build 23 attached buildings on 2.06 acres south of U.S. Bank and west of U.S. Route 62. The row of buildings would accommodate office and commercial uses on the ground floors, with individual building owners having the option to offer residential lofts on the second floors.

ARB members generally agreed the mixed use concept meets the village's idea for that part of the village center. ARB chair Bernie Costantino said he likes the urban nature of the buildings, with both on- and off-street parking and the option for residential on the second floor. But he questioned the architectural plans, which showed the facade could change between brick and wood every 40 to 60 feet. Members Mark Workman and Lu Schubert agreed, while members Gordon Schiffman and Paul Kosling said they liked the variety.

September 14, 200519 yr

Author

From ThisWeek Newspapers (New Albany), 9/8/05:

Village Center Study

Committee looks at land south of state Route 161

Thursday, September 8, 2005

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The 12-member Village Center Study group has seen the final piece of a proposed update of the center plan. The village center includes the area south of state Route 161 in both old and new retail centers of the village. It also includes housing on both sides of U.S. Route 62 to Alpath Road.

At an Aug. 21 meeting, consultants from Myers Schmalenberger MSI showed renderings featuring some commercial buildings and higher density housing along the east side of 62, south of the Plain Township Fire Station. The rest of the land to the east has already been zoned by the New Albany Co. for nearly 300 homes on the 129 acres.

Jason Sudy of MSI said the village will need to be cautious about development in the area to protect the Rose Run headwaters. Keith Myers, also of of MSI, suggested trying to maintain 100-foot setbacks on either side of the stream, which could help separate commercial and denser housing from single-family homes that could be developed there by the New Albany Co.

September 21, 200519 yr

Author

From Columbus Business First, 9/21/05:

Abercrombie set to expand in New Albany

Tony Goins

Business First

New Albany Village Council unanimously voted Tuesday to approve a 15-year tax incentive to attract an Abercrombie & Fitch Co. distribution center. The deal waives all property taxes on the site, saving the company $1.3 million a year over 15 years, said Jennifer Chrysler, community development director for New Albany.

Council approved two ordinances. The first extends the community reinvestment area that covers Abercrombie's existing campus to the site of the distribution center. The second extends Abercrombie's 15-year, 100 percent tax incentive to the new construction.

The tax deal will kick in as soon as Abercrombie moves into the new buildings. The New Albany-based fashion retailer plans a 600,000-square-foot distribution center on a 40-acre site adjacent to its headquarters. It also plans to add 100,000 square feet of office space onto its New Albany headquarters.

Full article at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/09/19/daily10.html

September 28, 200519 yr

Author

From Columbus Business First, 9/23/05:

State moves up Abercrombie tax deal vote

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. need not wait until October to find out if a state tax incentive is approved for an expansion it is proposing at its New Albany campus. The tentative incentive for the company's project was added at the last minute to the agenda of the Ohio Tax Credit Authority's meeting for Monday, the state Department of Development said Friday.

The state incentive would rebate to the company 70 percent of the payroll taxes on new workers at the site. The company's project is expected to create up to 300 jobs over three years. The fashion retailer is considering developing a 600,000-square-foot distribution center on a 40-acre site next to its New Albany home office. It also plans to expand its headquarters building by 100,000 square feet.

The incentive would save Abercrombie about $3.4 million over its 10-year term. Additionally, the state may offer a $175,000 work-force training grant for the company.

Full article at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/09/19/daily38.html

October 19, 200519 yr

Author

From ThisWeek (New Albany), 10/13/05:

Village core may include new classification

Committee studies ways to make 'center' work

Thursday, October 13, 2005

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

A committee studying plans for the center of the village has come up with a plan to protect the historic core and expand that core by surrounding it with appropriate business and residential use. After five months of working with planners from MSI, the committee has determined the village may need to add a new zoning classification to its code specifically to address the village center. A mixed use, for example, would encourage two-story buildings with retail on the first floor and housing above.

The village center includes area south of state Route 161, in both old and new retail centers of the village. It also includes housing on both sides of U.S. Route 62 to Alpath Road. Because it is such a large area, planners from MSI split it into three zones -- the newer village south of the Rose Run, the older village north of the Rose Run and what planners call the "village extent," to the north of the old village center around the Plain Township Fire Station.

November 16, 200519 yr

Author

From Suburban News Publications, 11/9/05:

Arts center would be village 'heart,'local officials say

The school district will receive the additional tax dollars generated from the improvements despite the 30-year TIF plan, officials say.

By SCOTT TAKAC

A $13 million performing arts center is one of several improvements planned to assist in making New Albany's Village Center a vibrant and lucrative heart of the village. Also coming soon is a new Metro park, connection of the village's leisure trails to the Village Center and related improvements to Rose Run Park and several others to the area's roads, sidewalks, curbs, and streetscape.

November 25, 200519 yr

Author

From ThisWeek New Albany, 11/17/05:

New Albany completes village center study

Plans to be reviewed by various boards

Thursday, November 17, 2005

By LORI WINCE ThisWeek Staff Writer

New Albany has completed its village center study, which began six months ago. A committee of residents, business representatives and local officials worked with planners from MSI on the project, which updated previous village plans for the village center. The committee reviewed the final draft of the study in October and it's now being presented to various boards and commissions for approval.

Planners and committee members discussed ways to manage storm water in the area, possibly by defining one area for designated runoff. Instead of requiring developers of each parcel to contain runoff on an individual site, developers could contribute funding to create the single runoff site. Planner Keith Myers of MSI said this makes sense, especially with development constraints within the village core.

November 27, 200519 yr

Was New Albany "Village Center" covered in one of C-D Man's recent photo threads?

November 27, 200519 yr

Yes sir.

"You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers

December 20, 200519 yr

Author

From ThisWeek New Albany, 12/15/05:

New Albany Exchange to house small offices, retail, apartments

Thursday, December 15, 2005

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

Skilken, the company developing office and retail buildings on U.S. Route 62 north of Wayside Florists, has tenants committed for six spaces. Frank Petruziello, vice president of Skilken, told members of the New Albany Architecture Review Board (ARB) Monday the response to the project has been "very good...

Skilken designed a project called New Albany Exchange, which will have 23 two-story buildings on the west side of U.S. 62 between Wayside Florists and U.S. Bank. Third Street would be extended west to provide access to parking behind the buildings.

December 29, 200519 yr

Author

From ThisWeek New Albany, 12/22/05:

Performing Arts Academy board making site visits

Thursday, December 22, 2005

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The board that has been appointed to determine the feasibility of establishing a performing arts academy in New Albany has been touring similar schools around the country to see what's being done.

Members of the group met Monday to share their experiences.

Ralph Johnson, retired superintendent of New Albany-Plain Local Schools, toured the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati and the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Kentucky. Current superintendent Steven Castle and board members Jane Hahn, Barbara Kirk and consultant Marie Ward toured two Florida schools, the New World School of the Arts in Miami and the Alexander W. Dreyfuss Jr. School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.

February 21, 200619 yr

Author

From New Albany News, 2/15/06:

Improvements to Village Center close to fruition with TIFs

Improvements will be made to Rose Run Park, roads in the Village Center, sidewalks, curbs and streetscape, officials said.

By SCOTT TAKAC

After some delay, the largest single source of funding for New Albany's new performing arts center and several other improvements slated for the Village Center have been approved. Ohio Department of Taxation Spokesman Gary Gudmonson verified Friday that the village's request to declare three subdivisions tax increment financing districts had been approved Jan. 31. New Albany's $5 million and Plain Township's $3 million shares of the estimated $13 million center will be paid for with TIF money, which sees a municipality like New Albany paying for a project like the arts center up front, by issuing bonds or notes.

February 28, 200619 yr

Author

From ThisWeek New Albany, 2/23/06:

Council amends plan for village center

Thursday, February 23, 2006

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

New Albany Village Council adopted an amendment to the village center plan at its Tuesday night meeting. Keith Myers of Myers Schmalenberger MSI of Columbus said the amendment to theplan encourages more density around the large center of the village, which includes both old and new retail centers south of state Route 161, as well as housing on both sides of U.S. Route 62 south of 161 to Alpath Road.

Streets need to be connected throughout the area and it needs to be pedestrian-friendly with shorter blocks and a variety of businesses. Shared parking was suggested and a few locations have been identified for larger parking areas, Myers said.

March 13, 200619 yr

CONSTRUCTION ZONE

New Albany hopes condo project will help revive heart of town

Monday, March 13, 2006

Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

New Albany officials hope that an unusual condominium concept under way will help transform its village center. Skilken Properties plans to begin site work this week on New Albany Exchange, a town-house-style condo project marketed to commercial users who will have the option of finishing the top floors as residential space. It’s a unique zoning that’s not available elsewhere in central Ohio, Skilken President Ken Gold said.

New Albany officials view the project as a key piece of its village-center puzzle. The heart of New Albany, near Rts. 62 and 605, has not kept pace with the expensive homes, golf courses and all that white fencing that have sprung up in the past 20 years. But that’s been changing.

March 13, 200619 yr

Ummm...yeah, good luck with that, New Albany. People locate there for the white picket fences, the golf courses, and the million dollar homes, not for the village.

March 13, 200619 yr

We already have a condo like subdivision built. It is called Pickett Place, which is very nice. The reason I moved to New Albany was for the homes, acerage, club, and suburban charms, not for the condos. I'll go to Columbus if I want condos that are going to cost $330,000!

March 14, 200619 yr

New Albany's Georgian style architecture is boring in my opinion. I'd rather live in Dublin or Upper Arlington. I can understand why they would want a convenient town center but lofts? Come on... If I was a young professional looking for an apartment or condo, I sure as hell wouldn't move out to New Albany. I don't critize people for living in the burbs because everyone is entitled to live in the environment they want to but loft apartments ...that doesn't fit New Albany's character. Honestly though, I think if I was rich and had a mansion, I'd want it to be in a community entirely residential like Indian Hill. You get less traffic, the green space and wild life are better preserved and you can still drive a few miles to do shopping and whatever else.

April 4, 200619 yr

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From ThisWeek New Albany, 3/30/06:

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Foundation puts up another $2M

Additional funds will pay for 'alternate' refinements in facility

Thursday, March 30, 2006

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The New Albany Community Foundation has agreed to provide an additional $2-million for the New Albany and Community Performing Arts Center. Craig Mohre, president of the foundation, said the foundation board agreed recently to commit the funding, which would bring funds committed for the project to $15-million.

Four local entities already have contributed $13-million to the project: New Albany-Plain Local School District is contributing $5-million from a capital improvements bond issue passed in 2001; the village of New Albany and Plain Township are contributing $8-million together, which will be collected through a tax increment financing system (TIF). Through a TIF, property taxes on new builds within certain areas are diverted to the municipality. That includes a certain percentage of taxes that the township normally would receive. The land for the center -- at the corner of U.S. Route 62 and Dublin-Granville Road -- was donated for the project by the New Albany Co.

April 17, 200619 yr

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From New Albany News, 4/12/06:

Arts center groundbreaking set, Shoemaker rallies support

By SCOTT TAKAC

A scheduled groundbreaking marking the start of construction on New Albany's $15 million performing arts center has a township official calling for more community input first. Plain Township Trustee Don Shoemaker began collecting signatures Monday on surveys that ask respondents whether they are for or against the planned facility.

April 22, 200619 yr

Author

From the 4/21/06 Dispatch:

MAP

Building boom set for New Albany

Daimler Group to help develop next phase of business park, encompassing 200 acres

Friday, April 21, 2006

Mike Pramik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A New Albany area that has spawned thousands of jobs is getting ready for a surge in development. One of central Ohio’s most prolific office builders, the Daimler Group, has been brought in to help create the next phase of New Albany Business Park. Daimler will join New Albany Co. and Georgetown Co. in developing more than 200 acres of land along Rt. 161 over the next several years. The companies will be joined in the partnership by Capitol Square Ltd., a subsidiary of The Dispatch Printing Company, publisher of The Dispatch.

April 22, 200619 yr

Good for New Albany! But bad for Columbus! I can attest to the home building part. Especially all the ones being built by the Country Club.

April 22, 200619 yr

Too bad New Albany sucks.

April 22, 200619 yr

Hey! New Albany doesn't completely suck!

April 22, 200619 yr

I'm sorry if I offended anyone, I just think New Albany is very lackluster... to say the least, for such a "prestigous" area. I'm sure nearby Easton, and Mr. Wexner residing there have something to do with its perception.

April 23, 200619 yr

Its cool. Quite a few people think that about New Albany. Personally, I think Upper Arlington and Bexley have more character, but thats probably because they are much more established areas.

May 1, 200619 yr

Author

From the 5/1/06 Dispatch:

Village, school collaborate on New Albany performance center

Monday, May 01, 2006

Mike Pramik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

At a cost of $15 million, a building under construction in New Albany could become the standard by which every school auditorium is judged. Work started last week on the New Albany Community Performing Arts Center, a $15 million, 750-seat assembly hall at the northwest corner of Rt. 62 and E. Dublin-Granville Road. When it opens in late 2007, the 35,000-square-foot center will be an auditorium for New Albany school students and a community arts house.

May 9, 200619 yr

Author

From ThisWeek New Albany, 5/4/06:

PHOTO: A model of the performing arts center.

Controversy doesn't halt groundbreaking

Thursday, May 4, 2006

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

Controversy surrounding construction of the New Albany Community and Performing Arts Center didn't stop last Friday's groundbreaking. Nearly 300 people attended and enjoyed a display of performing arts by local students who danced, sang music and played musical instruments. A number of residents came out against the center within the last two weeks, questioning the need, the funding and the design. Local officials said they had heard that a restraining order was being sought to stop the groundbreaking, but it went ahead as planned.

May 15, 200619 yr

Author

New Albany Co. seeks to add extension at Market Square

ThisWeek New Albany, 4/20/06

The New Albany Company wants to expand the Market Square retail center. Members of the New Albany Planning Commission made a favorable recommendation earlier this month on a zoning change for the property.

The application would change 7.3 acres in the village center from residential and infill planned unit development to an infill planned unit development for commercial and retail use. Information filed by the company shows the extension of Village Hall Road west across U.S. Route 62 aligned with the entrance to the New Albany Post Office.

At least five buildings could be built on the extended road, each having a front facade on the road extension and on the side facing the existing Market Square development, said Tom Rubey, director of development for the New Albany Co.

May 16, 200619 yr

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From the 5/16/06 Newark Advocate:

Development may bring job boom

Addition to business park could provide thousands of openings

By JASON MCALISTER

Advocate Reporter

NEW ALBANY -- A proposed addition to New Albany's already flourishing business park could bring another 8,000 jobs or more to area residents in the next decade, developers say. And with the widening of Ohio 161/37 poised to take shape, the office park could spread eastward into Licking County.

The newest site of office park expansion would be on a 300-acre plot of land along the north side of Ohio 161, between New Albany and Beech roads. The new addition to the business park would add 3 million square feet of office space, and is geared toward attracting medical offices, office warehouses and technology companies.

"Over the next 10 years, it could bring another 8,000 to 10,000 jobs," said Bob White Jr., executive vice president of The Daimler Group, the Columbus-based real estate and construction developer that was recently chosen by the land's owner, The New Albany Company, to build the park.

June 13, 200619 yr

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From New Albany News (SNP), 6/7/06:

Workers prepare the arts center site for construction

Construction is expected to be finished in 17 months.

By SCOTT TAKAC

Construction on New Albany's new $15 million performing arts center is set to begin after workers arrived Monday to fence off the site.

"They're out there today, they're putting up the fence and getting the ground prepared," said Craig Mohre, president of the New Albany Community Foundation. Mohre said he was pleased site work had finally begun after a ceremonial groundbreaking more than a month ago. Mohre, along with former New Albany-Plain Local School District Superintendent Ralph Johnson, spearheaded efforts to build the community center at the corner of Dublin-Granville Road and Main Street.

June 16, 200618 yr

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Cheap chases chic as Aldi prepares New Albany store

Business First of Columbus, 5/22/06

No-frills grocer Aldi Group Inc. has picked a site in Columbus near high-income New Albany and Gahanna for its 15th discount supermarket in Central Ohio.

Aldi Group will build a 17,000-square-foot store that reflects a design it rolled out last year at its Newark supermarket, said Dan Gavin, vice president of the company's Springfield division. That Licking County store uses an open-ceiling design, updated fixtures, larger cooler and freezer, and is stocked with a greater inventory of meats.

Aldi Group paid $1.35 million to One Springboro Co. LLC of Canton for 2.7 acres at 5531 N. Hamilton Road, south of Route 161. The site is east of the outerbelt in a fast-growing retail corridor that has followed housing development between Morse Road and Route 161.

July 11, 200618 yr

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From New Albany News (SNP), 7/5/06:

PHOTO: Construction has not yet begun at the arts center site, pictured last week. News photo by Jeff Konczal

Complicated bidding leads to construction delay

A groundbreaking ceremony was held nearly two months ago.

By SCOTT TAKAC

After a groundbreaking ceremony two months ago, the ground at the site for New Albany's $15 million arts center has been left mostly undisturbed. Craig Mohre, president of the New Albany Community Foundation, said the start of construction was imminent more than three weeks ago when perimeter fencing was installed at the site at the corner of Dublin-Granville Road and Main Street. As of Friday, a large color sign displaying a rendering of the planned 750-seat performance facility and the fence were the only signs of work at the site. Construction is expected to take 17 months.

July 31, 200618 yr

Author

From ThisWeek New Albany, 7/27/06:

30 area residents object to A&F rezoning request

Thursday, July 27, 2006

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

About 30 area residents brought their concerns about parking, traffic and drainage to the July 20 meeting of the Rocky Fork-Blacklick Accord Implementation Panel.

Members of the group spoke against a rezoning application by Abercrombie & Fitch to change 319.37 acres at its campus northeast of state Route 161 and U.S. Route 62 from limited overlay general employment, agricultural and planned unit development to limited overlay general employment.

A&F already has two distribution centers and an office complex on site. Attorney Ben Hale said A&F needs to build another office within the complex and add more parking. The company has a contract to purchase several properties along the south side Central College Road just east of U.S. 62 and Kitzmiller Road. The land is just north of the campus and could be used for expanded parking once the new office is built, Hale said.

August 15, 200618 yr

Author

From ThisWeek New Albany, 8/10/06:

Request still unpopular with neighbors

Thursday, August 10, 2006

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

More than 30 people showed up at Monday's New Albany Planning Commission meeting to hear Abercrombie & Fitch's (A&F) proposal to rezone land on the north and east sides of its existing campus.

Jim Cullinan, an Evans Road resident, read a list of concerns compiled by him and 20 neighbors. They are worried about drainage in the area, especially the Haines Ditch, and areas in the flood plain. The A&F offices produce light and noise pollution, he said, and contribute to traffic problems on Central College, especially during events such as the A&F Challenge. "We think this is the wrong type of zoning in the wrong part of the village," he said.

A&F is trying to add several properties to the campus and to rezone a portion of the campus -- with the new acreage -- from limited overlay general employment, agricultural and planned unit development to limited overlay general employment. That includes the properties at 8059, 8005, 7973, 7953 and 7901 Central College Road, all of which are east of Kitzmiller Road.

August 18, 200618 yr

I'd buy their clothes if they were reasonably priced! :)

August 25, 200618 yr

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From the 8/24/06 Dispatch:

Panel OKs rezoning to allow Abercrombie & Fitch to grow

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Lori Wince

NEW ALBANY - The Rocky Fork-Blacklick Accord Implementation Panel has recommended approval of a rezoning request by Abercrombie & Fitch. The company wants to add several properties to its campus and rezone a portion of the land. Most of the property to be added is south of Central College Road and east of Kitzmiller Road.

Aaron Underhill, an attorney representing the company, said it has four properties in contract and will meet with residents this week to see if it can purchase more. A tentative artist’s rendering shows that several buildings would be added near the company’s office complex, along with more parking to the north of those buildings, and more buildings southeast of Evans Road.

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/08/24/20060824-D5-01.html

August 29, 200618 yr

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From Business First of Columbus, 8/25/06:

Zoning change may signal more growth at Abercrombie & Fitch

Business First of Columbus - August 25, 2006

by Brian R. Ball, Business First

Apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. plans to rezone the bulk of its New Albany corporate campus as it contemplates more expansion. The village's planning commission will consider next month a rezoning of 50 acres that the company has in contract as part of a broader 309-acre rezoning.

Jennifer Chrysler, economic development director for the village, said the extra land is expected to accommodate a campus expansion where the $2.8 billion company employs 1,600 workers. Some 300 employees will be added this year when a distribution and warehouse project is completed.

According to the application, a proposed change in zoning classifications on 259 acres would update landscaping, lighting and buffering standards. Chrysler said that change could benefit residents who have complained about traffic on College Road and nighttime light from a planned expansion of the parking lot.

More at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/08/28/story6.html?b=1156737600^1336485

September 18, 200618 yr

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From ThisWeek New Albany, 9/14/06:

A&F zoning gets planning commission nod

Thursday, September 14, 2006

By GALE CADY WILLIAMS

ThisWeek Contributor

The New Albany Planning Commission approved zoning changes Monday night that would allow the Abercrombie and Fitch campus at 6200 Fitch Path Road to develop additional parking lots, office buildings, warehouses and distribution sites on land it currently owns or is in the process of acquiring.

The site proposed for rezoning includes more than 276 acres of the existing A&F campus and 33.1-plus acres of residential land for the expansion. It lies north of New Albany expressway and state Route 161, east of Kitzmiller Road, south of Central College Road and west of Evans Road.

The rezoning request asks that the land be rezoned from Limited General Overlay (L-GE) or Agricultural (AG) to entirely L-GE, and includes one 88-acre section and one 188-acre section.

More at http://www.thisweeknews.com/index.php?sec=newalbany&story=sites/thisweeknews/091406/NewAlbany/News/091406-News-223779.html

September 19, 200618 yr

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Both from ThisWeek New Albany, 9/14/06:

Performing Arts Center

Officials: TIF proceeds will pay debt

Sluggish home market slows revenues; other projects may not be funded

Thursday, September 14, 2006

By LORI WINCE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

As the housing market slows down, some residents question whether a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) system put in place to help build the New Albany Community Performing Arts Center will produce enough revenue for funding commitments. Village officials say there will be enough revenue to pay the village and Plain Township's $8-million commitment to the performing arts center, but there might not be money left over for other projects, as had been hoped.

September 20, 200618 yr

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From the 9/19/06 Dispatch:

Abercrombie plans growth spurt

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Jeffrey Sheban and Jim Woods

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Abercrombie & Fitch has bought more land for its New Albany headquarters and wants to add an office building that will accommodate 150 new workers.

The recent purchase of more than 33 acres, which includes homes and property north and east of its headquarters buildings, helps clear the way for the proposed $15 million building needed to support the retailer’s growth, spokesman Thomas D. Lennox said.

The company, which moved to its wooded New Albany campus in 2001, operates 884 stores under the names Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids, Hollister and Ruehl No. 925 in the United States and Canada. The company used to be a division of Limited Brands.

Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/09/19/20060919-F1-00.html

October 30, 200618 yr

Author

Village applying for grants to purchase park land

ThisWeek New Albany, 8/10/06

The village of New Albany is applying for two grants to purchase acreage on U.S. Route 62 and Dublin-Granville Road for park land.

November 13, 200618 yr

Author

From New Albany News, 10/25/06:

Arts Center construction still on track, officials say

Work is scheduled to be completed by December 2007.

By LISA AURAND

Weather may have been fairly stormy lately, but work on the New Albany Community Performing Arts Center is keeping on schedule, said Rick Aronhalt, facilities construction coordinator for New Albany Plain Local Schools and oversight committee chairman for the construction of the center. In spite of the weather, Aronhalt said New Albany residents may soon be able to see steel and block construction above ground.

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