February 3, 2011
Westerville Square
Hadler presents ‘new and improved’ plans By JENNIFER NESBITT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The Westerville Planning Commission heard a heavily revised redevelopment plan for the Westerville Square shopping center on Jan. 26. Redevelopment plans for the center call for knocking down three currently vacant storefronts to make way for a 108,441square-foot Walmart. The rest of the center would be renovated to match the new storefront. The Hadler Cos. president, George Hadler, said his team listened to concerns brought forth by commission members in December — including that the proposal lacked four-sided architecture, a cohesive design, a landscape plan and adequate screening for a development to the north, and that site plans did resolve existing traffic issues — and modified the plan based on that feedback. “We listened very carefully,” Hadler told the commission. “I’m very proud of the team that we have assembled, the meetings we’ve had, the planning, the revisions.” With the new plans, the renovated center would have a red brick façade on all four sides, with footers added to brick columns and parapets added at the corners of the center. The rear of the center would have brick screening walls to shield utility elements, trash receptacles and loading bays. Architects for The Hadler Cos. worked with Walmart architects See HADLER, page A6
This rendering shows The Hadler Cos.’ new plans for the Westerville Square Shopping Center.
Commission: Walmart plans ‘not quite there’ By JENNIFER NESBITT
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Revised plans for renovations to the Westerville Square shopping center received a warmer reception from the Westerville Planning Commission than the previously proposed site plans. Shopping center owner The Hadler Cos. appeared before the planning commission for a third time Jan. 26 with a revised proposal for Westerville Square, which calls for tearing down three existing storefronts to make way for a 108,000-square-foot Walmart and renovating the remaining storefronts to match the new construction. “We’re not quite there, but we’re getting close,” planning commission chairman Gerald Domanik said of the revised
Whatever we put here, it’s staying for a long time. We want this to look consistent, like it was all designed at the same time.
BRIAN SZUCH commission member
plans. Other planning commission members said the new site plans marked a significant improvement over what The Hadler Cos. brought before the commission in October and December.
Concerns remained, however, over how well the newly constructed Walmart will tie in to the old shopping center. A Hadler-hired architect has designed the renovations to older storefronts, while a Walmart-hired architect has designed the new storefront. The two have collaborated on building materials, but planning commission members said there is still a disconnect between the old and the new. “If I showed this to 100 people that weren’t architects, 100 of them could point out the boundaries of (Walmart),” planning commission member Brian Szuch said of architectural renderings of the front of the center. Szuch said that while the architecture was a vast improvement over what originally was submitted to the city, the mod-
ern architecture for Walmart clashed with traditional architecture being used for the rest of the center. “It’s still just loads different, architecturally,” he said. The plans do not address the shopping center’s outparcels along Schrock Road, which Hadler Cos. president George Hadler said cannot be renovated at this time because of existing leases with the business owners who occupy those parcels. Commission members said they would like to see some sort of plan for those outparcels to see how they would tie in with the rest of the center and how redeveloped parcels might better comply with city design standards. See NOT QUITE THERE, page A6
Variety show to raise funds for community Honor Flight By JENNIFER NESBITT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek
Diane Conley has retired as Westerville City Schools’ chief of academic affairs.
Conley retires as district’s director of academic affairs By JENNIFER NESBITT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
As executive director of academic affairs Diane Conley retires after 18 years with the Westerville City School District, officials say her smile, optimism and can-do attitude will be greatly missed. Conley’s last day on the job was Jan. 28. “Diane is the consummate optimist,” Superintendent Dan Good said. “When trailblazing is required, Diane isn’t daunted by the challenges that inevitably accompany being the leader. She cheerfully forges ahead, with a healthy cohort of collaborators, who together inspire a new stan-
dard of performance.” When the Westerville Board of Education thanked Conley for her service during its Jan. 24 meeting, board president Kristi Robbins choked up as she prepared to present Conley with a resolution from the board. “We knew this day was coming,” Robbins said. “It’s a hard one for us.” Conley began her career in education as a teacher in the Reynoldsburg school district. In her 17 years in that district, she taught all levels of elementary school. After getting her degree in education adminSee CONLEY RETIRING, page A5
Members of the Westerville community have put together a throwback variety show to raise money to send World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. Volunteers are planning a second annual concert, the “Jukebox Revue” to raise money for a Westerville-sponsored Honor Flight, a tour of Washington, D.C., memorials for World War II veterans. Last year, with the help of a holiday concert fundraiser, the community raised $40,000 to send more than 80 veterans to Washington. The community also sponsored an Honor Flight in 2009. Last year’s holiday concert fundraiser has been reworked into the Jukebox Revue, which will be at 2 p.m. Feb. 13 at Westerville Central High School, 7118 Mount Royal Ave.
The show will be emceed by local TV anchor Cabot Rea and will feature musicians, singers and dancers, including 7-year-old piano prodigy Gavin George, awardwinning accordionist Joe Napoli and swing band The Continentals. “It’s in the vein of an old ‘Bob Hope Show’ or ‘Ed Sullivan Show,’” said show organizer David Colley. “I think it’s going to be a blast. I think it’s going to be a lot
By JENNIFER NESBITT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The Westerville Planning Commission will allow a church to move into a planned industrial district, but the proposal left commission members questioning city code. The planning commission approved a conditional use permit Jan. 26 to allow Cornerstone Baptist Church to use 4,800 square feet within a building
See FUNDS, page A2
at 695 Greencrest Drive, in the Brooksedge development. While a church is an acceptable conditional use for a planned industrial district under city code, planning commission members wondered whether that should be the case. Using intended industrial space for nonindustrial uses reduces the amount of space that could be used by businesses bringing jobs and See CHURCH PLANS, page A2
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Tickets for the Jukebox Revue are available on the second floor of Westerville City Hall, 21 S. State St., or by calling (614) 8390189. Ticket cost is $20 for adults and $10 for seniors, children and veterans. Admission is free for World War II veterans.
Proposed church raises questions about city’s industrial-use code
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of fun.” With more acts and a faster pace, Colley said he expects the show to appeal to more people, and with the entertainers who are booked, he said he’s sure the audience will leave impressed with the concert — just like they did last year. “Last year’s program was killer. We just had so many people who just absolutely loved the show,” Colley said. “I think everyone’s going to get their money’s worth. I think it’s going to be another year where people walk out and say, ‘Wow, I really loved it.’” Colley said he’s expecting many of the veterans who already have participated in the Honor Flight program to come to the concert, and he said he expects to take a moment during the show to celebrate those veterans and the success of the two previous Westerville-sponsored Honor Flights.
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