Westerville: Developments and News

Posted July 27, 200519 yr

From the 7/25/05 edition of the Columbus Business First

Polaris developer stakes land claim in Westerville

Brian R. Ball, Business First

The master developer of the sprawling Polaris Centers of Commerce in Columbus has taken a 100-acre position in the hot Westar real estate market. But NP Ltd., which pioneered the Polaris mixed-use development, and Westerville must still work out a development plan for the property. NP LP, an affiliated holding company, paid Zumstein North Ltd. and Zumstein South Ltd. $8.5 million July 11 to secure the 100 acres on the eastern flank of the Polaris development.

More at

http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/07/25/story8.html?page=1

November 29, 200519 yr

This office/retail/hotel behemoth is being built as we speak. Check out their website. From ThisWeek Westerville, 11/24/05:

Hotel, convention center coming to Altair

Thursday, November 24, 2005

By MICHAEL J. MAURER

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The developers of Altair expect to enter a memorandum of understanding within weeks with a "major national hotel" and convention center, the Westerville Planning Commission learned Monday night. Chris Figge, Jerome Solove Development, said the formal announcement might be made in December, but more likely in January.

Once the memorandum is signed, Figge said, a number of restaurant and retail agreements would quickly follow. The planning commission would then receive an overall final development plan that would include both the hotel and the associated retail development.

December 15, 200519 yr

SHINTO SHRINE DISMANTLING

Westerville loses a landmark

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Jim Woods

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

It took more than 20,000 hours to craft a Shinto shrine in Japan and months to ship and assemble it in Westerville. But the shrine will come down within the next day or two. When and where it will reappear is up in the air.

Earlier this year, Butch and Kaye Henderson sold the Kyoto Tea House and two neighboring houses on S. State Street in Westerville’s Uptown to Nancy Potter, wife of former local Mercedes-Benz dealer Skip Potter. Potter has not announced plans for the property. The shrine was excluded from the sale but had to be removed from the teahouse property by Dec. 25, said Kaye Henderson. The Friends of the Westerville Teahouse and Shrine want to keep the shrine in Westerville.

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/12/15/20051215-C1-02.html&chck=t

January 23, 200619 yr

From the 1/23/06 Business First of Columbus:

$35M health center on tap for northeast

Jeff Bell, Business First

OhioHealth plans to spend $35 million in Westerville to build a pumped-up version of its outpatient health centers. The three-building, 196,000-square-foot campus off Polaris Parkway will be nearly four times the size of the Columbus hospital system's largest outpatient center, said Bob Gilbert, vice president for ambulatory services.

The campus design will drive a new ambulatory care approach aimed at extending the reach of specialized treatment programs at the system's hospitals, including Grant, Riverside Methodist and Doctors in Columbus, he said. The intent is to give patients access to more services from primary-care doctors and specialists without traveling from one medical site to another.

March 22, 200619 yr

Final plan on agenda for medical offices

ThisWeek Westerville, 2/16/06

A final development plan for a sports medicine and orthopedic center on County Line Road West will be presented to the Westerville Planning Commission at its Feb. 22 meeting.

April 8, 200619 yr

From the 4/7/06 Dispatch:

WESTERVILLE

Hotel project gains partner

Friday, April 07, 2006

Mike Pramik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Plans for a full-service hotel and conference center at Westerville’s Altair development have taken a big step forward with the involvement of a national hotel builder.

Altair developer Jerome G. Solove has signed a memo of understanding with the city of Westerville and with Noble Investment Group of Atlanta to plan a 250-room hotel with an events center near the intersection of Polaris Parkway and Cleveland Avenue.

June 15, 200618 yr

Development roiling Westerville

‘New urbanism’ community plan not in character, neighbors say

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Jim Woods THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

In the 19 th century, Westerville and Central College were small communities anchored by church-affiliated colleges. Westerville grew up and thrived around Otterbein College, but Central College’s school closed in 1893, and the surrounding area, although consumed by Westerville, has some undeveloped land.

Now a proposal to build a "new urbanism" development on 25 acres at Central College has Westerville planners at odds with the city planning commission and some residents. For years, planners thought Central College’s village center on Sunbury Road could be enhanced, complementing the classic architecture of the Presbyterian church and the old college buildings.

June 20, 200618 yr

Otterbein negotiating to buy Mettler-Toledo building

ThisWeek Westerville, 6/8/06

Otterbein College is in negotiations to purchase the former Mettler-Toledo building at 60 Collegeview Road.

The Westerville Planning Commission approved a request from the college for a conditional use permit to allow an educational facility at the site, which is currently in the Planned Industrial District. Staff reports from the city say it is unlikely that Otterbein will occupy the building within two years, which is the shelf life of a conditional use permit, but Steve Storck, vice president of business affairs, said it was important to secure the planning commission's approval before making the financial commitment to purchase the property.

He declined to comment on how much Otterbein is offering for the property, but he said the purchase is in negotiations and should come to a close in the next couple weeks. Otterbein officials have said there are not yet any specific plans for the old Mettler Toledo building.

July 5, 200618 yr

Rezoning tabled on mixed-use plan

ThisWeek Westerville, 6/1/06

"The Westerville Planning Commission has tabled indefinitely a rezoning request for a mixed-use development that is producing strong opposition from residents in the Sunbury Road area.

That's a promising little tidbit. Although in typical Columbus fasion, it's being met with opposition. "We love our cars and will fight any developments that threaten them!"

Posted on: June 18, 2006, 02:36:13 AMPosted by: grasscat

Insert Quote

I saw that myself and thought the same thing. People are so propagandized about what constitutes a good neighborhood, it's amazing anything is built besides McMansions! Ironically, not more than a mile away a new urbanist development IS going in, complete with alleys, small front yards, sidewalks, a small square and the like. It's at the corner of Spring St and Maxtown Rd.

While we are on the subject of Westerville, I think there should a complete redevlopment of the area around the intersection of Schrock Rd and State St., especially the half-fille plaza on the NE corner. This thing has an enormous parking lot which would be better used as a town square, since there is no public space anywhere near there.

Imagine a public square surrounded by new urbanist style builings with shops at gound level and aprtments above...

If anyone out there reads this and is interested in a discussion, let me know!

July 11, 200618 yr

From Westerville News and Public Opinion, 7/5/06:

N.P. Limited proposes plan for challenging Zumstein site

By ANGIE SCHMITT

The 99-acre track of land that stretches between Worthington Road and Alum Creek, north and south of Polaris Parkway, has been considered a development challenge since the land was annexed to Westerville as part of the Westar development district in 1998. A wooded ravine bisecting the site causes elevations on the property to vary wildly. Furthermore, a major roadway likely will have to be constructed to service the property's southern half.

Nevertheless, N.P. Limited Partnership -- developers of the Polaris Centers of Commerce -- has purchased the vast, challenging site of the former Zumstein farm. For the first time last Wednesday, they presented the Westerville Planning Commission with a tentative development plan for the property.

More at http://www.snponline.com/NEWS7-5/7-5_wezumstein.htm

August 27, 200618 yr

From the 8/26/06 Columbus Dispatch:

Golf site to become medical campus

Westerville driving range’s 27 acres sold to Lauth Healthcare

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Mike Pramik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

After nearly four decades of helping central Ohioans hone their golf swings, the owners of Westerville Golf Center are preparing to sell their last bucket of balls. Brothers Erich and Walter Gaiser and their cousin, Paul Gaiser, have signed a purchase agreement with an Indianapolis health-care development company to sell the 27-acre site along W. Schrock Road. Lauth Healthcare plans a medical-office campus that would include several buildings totaling more than 300,000 square feet.

September 5, 200618 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 8/31/06:

Planning commission

Altair proposal unanimously rejected

Thursday, August 31, 2006

By LIN RICE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The Westerville Planning Commission has made its opinion clear on North Westerville Ltd.'s preliminary plan for an office park development as part of Altair: It's too dense. The commission voted unanimously Aug. 23 to deny approval of the preliminary development plan for the site, which sits on about 30 acres east of Africa Road and south of Polaris Parkway.

"My major concern in looking at this plan is the size," said planning commission member Larry Jenkins. "I think we're looking at some pretty sizable buildings, which brings me to feel like we don't really have a substantial buffer between residential and commercial." The preliminary plan called for the construction of three three-story buildings, five two-story buildings and a one-story building, ranging in size from 14,500 square feet to 45,000 square feet. A conceptual development plan provided to the commission by project developer Jerome Solove Development Inc. included a total of 1,238 parking spaces to serve the nine buildings.

September 5, 200618 yr

From Business First of Columbus, 9/1/06:

Plans for Westin in Westerville could require $3.8M in city incentives

Study finds the $50.4 million hotel project must have government incentives to move forward.

Business First of Columbus - September 1, 2006

by Brian R. Ball Business First

An Atlanta developer has pinpointed a hotel chain for a proposed conference center in Westerville, but the $50.4 million project would need public incentives to help close a $3.8 million funding gap. Noble Investment Group LLC, in a $150,000 public-private commissioned study on a planned 250-room hotel at the Altair development, identified the Westin Hotel division's Starwoods Hotels & Resorts Inc. as a potential operator.

September 12, 200618 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 9/7/06:

Council returns Altair East to planners

Thursday, September 7, 2006

By LIN RICE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

Fresh off of its summer hiatus, the Westerville City Council entertained the first reading of numerous ordinances and awarded several bids on city-related projects at its meeting Tuesday night.

Among those first readings was a preliminary development plan for the Altair East development, located on a 30.2-acre tract east of Africa Road and south of Polaris Parkway, owned by Westerville North Ltd. Council voted 6-0, with councilman Michael Heyeck absent, to refer the development plan back to planning commission for further consideration.

The same plan was unanimously rejected by the commission earlier this month, which cited too much density, building setback problems and removal of too much green space as reasons for denying its approval, as well as other issues.

September 23, 200618 yr

From Business First of Columbus, 9/15/06:

Surgeons see medical hub in Westerville

Business First of Columbus - September 15, 2006

by Jeff Bell

Business First

Central Ohio's largest group of neurosurgeons plans to spend $6.6 million to turn a vacant office building in Westerville into its hub of operations. The 13 doctors at Central Ohio Neurological Surgeons will move their offices to a 37,850-square-foot building at 955 Eastwind Drive, said Don Arnold, practice administrator for the group. The building will house an outpatient surgery center, a spinal urgent-care center, medical imaging equipment and physical therapy services. The practice will also lease 10,000 square feet in an adjacent office building for administrative workers.

October 8, 200618 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 10/5/06:

Otterbein College

Draft plan OK'd for equine science center

Thursday, October 5, 2006

By LIN RICE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The Westerville Planning Commission gave unanimous approval last week to a preliminary development plan for the proposed site of Otterbein College's Equine Sciences program. The college has owned the 110-acre site east of Spring Road and north of Heritage Middle School since 1961, and wants to relocate its growing equine science program from Galena to inside the city, according to Rick Dorman, Otterbein's vice president for institutional advancement.

Plans for the site include five outdoor pastures, an outdoor arena for special events, an unpaved perimeter riding trail, small cottage for a live-in caretaker, support structures such as a hay barn and dumpster, and a large primary structure that will contain classrooms, horse stalls and other supporting aspects, all at a cost of $3-million.

October 11, 200618 yr

From Business First of Columbus, 10/6/06:

SuperTarget taking aim in Westerville

Business First of Columbus - October 6, 2006

by Brian R. Ball

Business First

The region's first SuperTarget could land in Westerville if developer Casto can get the 178,500-square-foot department and grocery store proposal approved by city planners. Casto in late September filed a final development plan for his Westar Village Retail Center that includes the merchant, altering a final layout for the project that the city approved in February.

A spokesman for Minneapolis-based Target Corp. said the company is "extremely interested" in the site for one of its enlarged SuperTarget stores, even though a standard Target store operates a few miles west of the site at 1485 Polaris Parkway. "It's not uncommon to see a Target within two or five miles from another Target," Joshua Thomas said. "It really depends upon what a market can sustain."

Target operates nearly 1,500 stores in 47 states, and 176 of them are SuperTargets, which include grocery operations in addition to the retailer's traditional clothing, housewares and general merchandise offerings. Target runs 11 stores in Central Ohio, and a 12th store is under development in Grove City.

October 30, 200618 yr

From the 10/19/06 Dispatch:

Plans for hotel in Westerville hit a snag

City says it has already invested enough money

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Mike Pramik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Efforts to develop a $50 million Westin hotel and meeting center in Westerville are in jeopardy because the city is balking at coming up with additional money for the project.

The Westin Hotel and Conference Center is planned for Jerome Solove Development’s Altair project, south of Polaris Parkway near Cleveland Avenue. This spring, Solove commissioned Noble Investment Group of Atlanta to develop the hotel, and that company subsequently identified Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ Westin brand as a participant.

But Westerville officials have refused to provide nearly $4 million in additional incentives that Noble Investment said are necessary to make the project work. Spokesman Scott McAfee said the city already has agreed to more than $22 million worth of incentives for the project.

October 30, 200618 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 10/26/06:

Altair hotel funding in dispute

$50.4-million hotel and conference center could be facing major setbacks

Thursday, October 26, 2006

By LIN RICE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

A $50.4-million hotel being planned as part of the Altair development could be facing setbacks, as a dispute over funding has cropped up between the city and the developer. According to Julie Colley, Westerville's economic development coordinator, the Noble Development Group, a Georgia-based company that is developing the hotel for Altair, has asked for an additional $3.8-million from the city. So far, the city is declining to pay the increase.

In April, Westerville entered into a memorandum of understanding with Altair Realty Ltd. and the Noble Development Group, LLC, , in which the city agreed to aid in a feasibility study for the project. Since then, Westerville has agreed to more than $22-million in incentives, according to Scott McAfee, community affairs coordinator, that include a return of 75 percent of bed taxes to be collected over a 15-year period and a 100- percent property tax abatement over the same period.

October 31, 200618 yr

From the 10/30/06 Dispatch:

RENDERING: Rendering of State Street Condominiums in Westerville SHUMATE DEVELOPMENT

CONSTRUCTION ZONE

Active adults are target market for Westerville condo project

Monday, October 30, 2006

Mike Pramik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A local developer thinks he’s found a niche in Westerville for an upscale, active-adult condominium building. John Shumate of Shumate Development has started construction on State Street Condominiums, which will combine 37 single-story units in a two-story building. The condos are being marketed to seniors, or as the marketers put it, "active adults."

The units will range from 1,300 to 1,700 square feet and cost from $249,000 to $339,000. That’s on the high side for a Westerville-area condominium, but Denzinger said she thinks the location will be a selling point. The building is within walking distance of restaurants and retail shops along State Street north of downtown. It’s also close to medical offices, which are popping up with regularity in that part of town.

November 25, 200618 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 11/2/06:

Vote postponed on OhioHealth medical campus

Thursday, November 2, 2006

By LIN RICE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The Westerville Planning Commission postponed a decision on a proposed medical center and approved a new child day care center on North State Street at its Oct. 25 meeting. OhioHealth presented graphics of a 230,000-square-foot medical campus it wants to locate on 20.6 acres at the northeast corner of Africa Road and Polaris Parkway. A preliminary plan covering 43 acres for a medical office complex on the western portion of the site and a condominium development to the east was previously approved, but the medical complex is the only aspect currently moving forward, said city planner Lisa Rivera.

November 30, 200618 yr

From Westerville News & Public Opinion, 11/8/06:

Westin talks stalled on request for bigger tax breaks

By ANGIE SCHMITT

Negotiations between the city and developers appear to have broken down after proponents of a Westin Hotel in the Altair business district asked for an additional $3.8 million in tax incentives, according to Economic Development Director Julie Colley.

In preliminary discussions with developers last spring, the city agreed to a 15-year, 100 percent property-tax abatement and partial bed-tax immunity on the proposed $50.4 million 250-room hotel and conference center. The deal was worth $22 million for Georgia-based hotel developer Noble.

But a feasibility study released in August projected the incentive package was not sufficient to bridge the gap between the projected cost and value for the Westin proposal. In August, Nobel told the city and additional $3.8 million in tax incentives were needed to justify its investment, said Colley. The $22 million incentive package was the most generous the city could allow, said Colley.

December 19, 200618 yr

Casto plans retail complex at Polaris and Africa Road

ThisWeek Westerville, 3/2/06

Plans for a major retail development, a sports medicine and orthopedic center and a veterinary clinic with an "upscale" animal spa all got the go-ahead last week from the Westerville Planning Commission.

December 24, 200618 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 11/30/06:

School board may extend tax agreement

Thursday, November 30, 2006

By MACKENZIE WHITE, [email protected]

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The Westerville Board of Education heard the first reading Monday night of a resolution that would extend a tax abatement agreement with OhioHealth to 15 years. The tax incentive/redistribution agreement the city of Westerville and the school board entered into in 1998 limits the terms of any abatement granted by the city in a particular area to 12 years without the school board's consent. OhioHealth, which has proposed building a medical campus on 20.6 acres at the northeast corner of Africa Road and Polaris Parkway, has requested that the term of the abatement be extended to 15 years.

December 24, 200618 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 12/14/06:

School board extends tax deal with OhioHealth

Thursday, December 14, 2006

By MACKENZIE WHITE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The Westerville Board of Education on Monday approved a resolution that extends a tax abatement agreement with OhioHealth to 15 years. The tax incentive/redistribution agreement the city of Westerville and the school board entered into in 1998 limits the terms of any abatement granted by the city in a particular area to 12 years without the school board's consent. OhioHealth, which has proposed building a medical campus on 20.6 acres at the northeast corner of Africa Road and Polaris Parkway, had requested that the term of the abatement be extended.

December 24, 200618 yr

From Business First of Columbus, 12/22/06:

OhioHealth gets green light for Westerville center

Business First of Columbus - 1:15 PM EST Friday

The Westerville Planning Commission has given OhioHealth Corp. the green light to build a $35 million outpatient health center. The three-building campus will be on 42 acres on the northeast corner of Africa Road and Polaris Parkway. It will provide outpatient surgery, orthopedics, sports medicine and urgent care, among other services.

Construction is expected to begin early next year and the first phase, which includes a 40,000-square-foot medical office building and a 116,000-square-foot surgery and health center, should be complete by winter 2008, OhioHealth said Thursday. A timeline for the second phase, another 40,000-square-foot office building, has not been set.

February 13, 200718 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 1/18/07:

Westerville Schools

OhioHealth to provide space for welcome center

Thursday, January 18, 2007

By MACKENZIE WHITE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

An idea nearly two years in the making took a big step toward becoming reality Tuesday. Westerville City Schools and OhioHealth announced a partnership that will include a welcome center to be housed in the OhioHealth Westerville Medical Campus currently under construction at the corner of Polaris Parkway and Africa Road. The welcome center is meant to streamline the district's enrollment and withdrawal process, as well as provide other services to students and their families, including those whose first language is something other than English.

February 13, 200718 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 2/1/07:

Board approves letter of intent with OhioHealth

Thursday, February 1, 2007

By MACKENZIE WHITE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The Westerville Board of Education approved a letter of intent Monday night to enter into a sublease agreement with OhioHealth, despite concerns of a Children's Hospital doctor who worried the plan will give OhioHealth an unfair advantage in providing services to the district.

The district plans to use space in the medical campus that OhioHealth is building at the corner of Polaris Parkway and Africa Road as a welcome center for incoming students. Under the proposed terms of the sublease, Westerville schools would rent about 2,000 square feet for $1 per year. The lease term would be five years.

March 19, 200718 yr

From the 3/17/07 Dispatch:

GRAPHIC: Map

Westerville plans changes

S. State Street would get new look

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Jim Woods

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Westerville wants to seize the opportunity to rejuvenate S. State Street while the state revamps the interchange with I-270 there. The advent of I-270 in the early 1970s spurred development south of uptown to the highway interchange. On Tuesday, Westerville City Council members reviewed a $1.2 million proposal to install brick median strips, a welcome sign and brick and wrought iron fences from I-270 up to Huber Village Boulevard. The city would also plant trees and landscape both sides of the street.

March 24, 200718 yr

RENDERING: Renderings of what the remodeled science facility will look like.

RENDERING #2

RENDERING #3

Otterbein College

$20M upgrade planned for science facilities

Thursday, March 22, 2007

By GARY SEMAN JR.

ThisWeek Staff Writer

Starting in June, Otterbein College will embark on a 20-month project that will upgrade its science facilities to the tune of $20-million. The work will be done on McFadden and Schear halls, which are connected. They currently house chemistry, physics, life and earth sciences, nursing and equine science. The first phase includes a makeover of McFadden, built in 1919 and last renovated in 1970. That should take roughly six months to complete, said Lehman, also a member of the school's board of trustees.

March 28, 200718 yr

Officials turn attention to city gateway

BY LIN RICE | THIS WEEK

March 22, 2007

WESTERVILLE - City officials say the state's plans to remove ramps to and from state Route 3 and I-270 by 2010 offer a chance to improve what they call a gateway to Westerville. So far, the cost estimates include up to $1.2-million for signs, landscaping, fencing and irrigation systems at State Street and Huber Village Boulevard. Another $1.38-million or more would be needed if the city opts to extend Hillsdowne Road to connect more effectively with Huber Village Boulevard and Dorchester Lane.

Members of the planning staff presented several ideas for developing a city gateway and for relieving traffic flow along Route 3 at a city council work session last week. Karl Craven, the city's director of planning and development, said the current construction time frame for the gateway project establishes a completion date of 2010.

March 31, 200718 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 3/29/07:

Board, campaign group enthusiastically endorse constitutional amendment

Thursday, March 29, 2007

By MACKENZIE WHITE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The Westerville Board of Education and the Our Community, Our Schools committee pledged support Monday for a school funding constitutional amendment. "The public has been calling for this discussion, and we've not had it," Our Community, Our Schools chair Larry Jenkins said.

School board president Cindy Crowe pledged the district will seek double the number of signatures it's been asked to contribute toward getting the amendment on the November ballot.

Crowe said supporters have asked the district to obtain nearly 15,000 signatures to match the number of students enrolled in the district. Collecting double that will "send a message" to the statehouse, she said.

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/032907/Westerville/News/032907-News-326055.html

April 27, 200718 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 2/1/07:

Planning commission OKs Altair development

Thursday, February 1, 2007

By LIN RICE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The Westerville Planning Commission approved final development plans for a new development in Altair at its Jan. 24 meeting.

The plans for parcel G of the development, located at the southeast corner of Cleveland Avenue and Westar Boulevard, call for two 19,694-square-foot spec office/medical office buildings on about 3.5 acres.

"I think it's a nice addition. We're happy to see further development in Altair," said commission member Craig Treneff.

...

http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/020107/Westerville/News/020107-News-298675.html

April 27, 200718 yr

From ThisWeek Westerville, 3/29/07:

More Altair space devoted to new office buildings

Thursday, March 29, 2007

By LIN RICE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

More space of the mixed-use Altair development will soon be transformed into offices, as Dublin Building Systems is negotiating to develop a portion along Cleveland Avenue. The Westerville Planning Commission granted final development plan approval in January for two sections of parcel G of the development, located at the southeast corner of Cleveland Avenue and Westar Boulevard. According to Mark Ford, president and principal architect at Ford & Associates Architects, each two-story building will be 19,690 square feet, with a footprint of 9,845 square feet per floor, and will take up approximately 3.4 acres of the Altair development.

May 21, 200718 yr

Hiawatha residents oppose lot split

ThisWeek Westerville, 5/3/07

More than a dozen residents of the Hiawatha Avenue neighborhood crammed into City Hall last Wednesday to protest a proposed lot split on their street.

Westerville Planning Commission members decided to postpone a decision on the lot split until June. The split, if approved, would create five single-family residential parcels within the existing R-2 single-family zoning district, according to city staff reports. The applicant, Andrew Chatterton, is in contract to purchase the Eisenacher properties, a longtime family business located at the west ends of Hiawatha and Central avenues, according to staff reports.

Several residents said splitting the property into five parcels would create problems for the neighborhood, and could invite rental units into what has traditionally been a homeowner-populated area.

June 18, 200717 yr

From the 3/5/07 Dispatch:

RENDERING: A rendering of the OhioHealth Westerville Medical Campus OHIOHEALTH

CONSTRUCTION ZONE

OhioHealth names developer for Westerville project

Monday, March 05, 2007

Mike Pramik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

OhioHealth has tapped Equity to develop and build its planned $33 million medical center in Westerville. The parent of Riverside Methodist Hospital announced plans a year ago to create the OhioHealth Westerville Medical Campus, which will be its largest outpatient structure. It will combine general and specialty medical services with an urgent-care center and physician offices.

July 6, 200816 yr

St. Paul to dedicate phase 2 of building project

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

By LIN RICE, ThisWeek Staff Writer

Work is well under way on construction of a new complex for St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, and parishioners will gather this weekend to help consecrate the most recently completed phase of the job. Phase One of the church's master plan was completed last summer. It included updates to the church's school including revamped heating and air conditioning, as well as new windows.

The church will host a public ceremony on Saturday to dedicate the second phase of the project by consecrating the church's new activity center. The new building is large enough to accommodate more than 1,000 parishioners, according to parish development director Helmut Naunheimer.

According to plans provided to the city's planning commission, the three-phase expansion project will cost between $12.5- and $15-million. The existing church, which currently has seating for about 650, will be replaced by a facility with room for 1,651, and will include more traditional architecture, a larger gathering space, more natural lighting, crying rooms for infants, handicapped seating, a gift shop and other additions.

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/westerville/stories/2008/06/25/0626wvstpaul_ln.html

July 15, 200816 yr

Council OKs Westerville Plaza plan

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

By LIN RICE, ThisWeek Staff Writer

In its last meeting before a summer hiatus, Westerville City Council Tuesday night gave the green light to a major construction project in the South State Street corridor and adopted an ordinance requiring the registration of some rental properties within the city.

Approved 7-0 was a preliminary development plan for a renovation of Westerville Plaza by the Casto Organization. It will cost in excess of $9-million, according to Casto associate Charlie Fraas. Plans for the renovation call for demolishing an approximately 11,000-square-foot section of the shopping center and the construction of a new 16,461-square-foot addition to the Kroger store.

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/westerville/stories/2008/07/02/council.html

August 3, 200816 yr

Daimler breaks ground on Westar IV

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

By LIN RICE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

Westerville's north side will continue to see construction as the Daimler Group broke ground last week on the fourth and final phase of its Offices at Westar project. Daimler will spend $20-million to develop Westar IV, a five-story office building at 460 Polaris Parkway, east of I-71. The construction of Westar IV marks the beginning of the final phase of Daimler's office and retail campus and part of its 1.3-million-square-foot Westar development.

Although Daimler's Westar III opened in the same area just last year, its space is nearly full, according to Daimler vice president Paul Ghidotti. Last year Vertex Systems, a social service software provider, and the Ryan Partnership, a marketing company headquartered in Chicago, relocated from Worthington and Columbus, respectively, to set up shop in Westar.

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/westerville/stories/2008/07/16/0717wvwestariv_ln.html

August 4, 200816 yr

Is there any updates on this project? Or photographs? I may head down that direction in the near future.

August 6, 200816 yr

yeah, i'd like to see plans too. i used to work at the central college site. thx.

September 2, 200816 yr

SOUTH STATE STREET

Streetscape plan prepared for corridor

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

By LIN RICE, ThisWeek Staff Writer

After numerous studies and discussions, Westerville's city staff may soon have one comprehensive document detailing future plans for the South State Street Corridor. The Westerville Planning Commission will review a draft of a proposed streetscape plan for the city's southern entryway on Aug. 28. According to city staff reports, the plan makes recommendations for both aesthetic and safety improvements along South State Street from Huber Village Boulevard to Walnut Street.

The proposed streetscape plan is available for public review on the city's Web site, www.westerville.org, at the Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St.; and at Westerville's planning and development offices at 64 E. Walnut St. during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/westerville/stories/2008/08/20/0821wvstreetscape_ln.html

October 14, 200816 yr

Residence Inn plan approved for Altair

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

By LIN RICE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

The picture of Westerville's northwestern gateway continued to emerge last week when the city's planning commission approved development plans for a new hotel. Commission members voted 5-0 Sept. 24 in favor of a four-story, 127-room hotel on about five acres in the planned development district (PDD), located north of Executive Campus Drive and East of Alum Creek. The applicant, Crowne Altair One LLC, has plans to construct a Residence Inn as part of the city's northwestern entrance.

A Marriott brand, Residence Inns cater to customers seeking an extended stay, according to Alan Michaels, a representative of Crowne Altair One LLC and the franchisee for the hotel. According to Marriott's Web site, Residence Inns cater to extended-stay customers by including suites 50-percent larger than traditional hotel rooms, separate living, working, sleep and eating areas, fully equipped kitchens with appliances and grocery delivering services. Michaels said developers are hoping to start construction on the hotel as early as March 2009.

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/westerville/stories/2008/10/01/1002wvaltair_ln.html

March 13, 200916 yr

Update brings back the past

Former hotel in Westerville adds cupola like it had 119 years ago

Monday, March 9, 2009

By Mike Pramik, The Columbus Dispatch

It's funny what a new hat can do for your image. Consider the former Hotel Holmes in the heart of Westerville. Owner Dan Aumiller's renovation includes a new cupola to restore the 119-year-old building to its former grandeur. The old hotel, at 25 N. State St., is one of several commercial buildings selected as part of planned walking tour of the historic downtown area known as Uptown. Information plaques will be installed on the buildings this year, as the owners permit.

June 20, 200915 yr

any updates at all on altair/westar development? i know the office occupancy up there in westerville is almost 100%.

btw, i like the smart way westerville has grown and expanded. pedestrian and bike friendly, fewer big box stores with massive street facing parking lots, and lots of parks.

anyone on these boards familiar with westerville?

June 20, 200915 yr

^I just drove through Westerville to do an autocross at Westerville North HS, and did not like it. I ended up having to drive through miles of just houses at 25mph to get there. There were no businesses, nothing to walk to. I've since found a better route. I was scared.

June 20, 200915 yr

very familiar. i worked there for years and we still have friends there. uptown westerville, the original village center, is fine. very charming. otoh the suburban growth areas of westerville are terrible. well, meaning same as any other newish suburb. it's just cul de sac after access road. lots of unnecessary idling traffic. to be nice about it i could just say that is not wise.

i found the locals to be generally nice folks and there are some very smart people up there running the show, with the unforgivable exception that everybody always seemed to be very into the next 'development' and that is just not cool. well, what can you say? that's suburbs for ya and its a classic one.

June 20, 200915 yr

something i found outlining how they want to change the south state street corridor:

http://www.westerville.org/Portals/0/Split_12809.wmv

i like.

June 20, 200915 yr

^I just drove through Westerville to do an autocross at Westerville North HS, and did not like it. I ended up having to drive through miles of just houses at 25mph to get there. There were no businesses, nothing to walk to. I've since found a better route. I was scared.

yeah, there's not much around north, other than houses. but county line road is 35/45, which goes to every north/south arterial in westerville. not sure which way you went. i would suggest going uptown. also, the whole altair development soon will be a walking friendly place with a promenade, offices, restaurants, etc:

http://visitaltair.com/master_map.html

(part of a bigger plan):

http://www.westerville.org/Portals/0/WestarJan2009v4.pdf

it's a suburb, so there's not much to expect urban-wise, but i'd say they've done better than most suburbs development-wise.

June 20, 200915 yr

Went to college there. I agree with mrnyc, uptown is quaint and attractive as is the Otterbein College grounds just west of that area. Otherwise pretty lame in all directions, although the Hoover reservoir is about 3 miles East of uptown and that area is pretty recreational.

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