Special Section: Hilliard

HILLIARD SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

HILLIARD A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section

PRESIDENT

Bradley M. Harmon PUBLISHER/GENERAL MANAGER

Ray Paprocki ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Rheta Gallagher

EDITORIAL SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Emma Frankart Henterly

COLUMBUS MONTHLY INTERIM EDITOR

Sherry Beck Paprocki CONTRIBUTORS

Rylan Lee, Tami Kamin Meyer, Clare Proctor, Peter Tonguette INTERNS

Welcome to Hilliard

INSIDE

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12

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Development in Old Hilliard

Parks, trails, events and more

The city’s new library

BUSINESS

LIFESTYLES

ranked school district, a housing market that was rated No. 10 in the country by Realtor.com and top-notch parks, paths and recreational programs for our residents to enjoy.

Hilliard truly is a community that provides lifelong possibilities, attracting residents of all ages and providing them the resources they need to be active participants in their community, raise their families and grow their businesses.

I’m incredibly proud to be a part of the Hilliard community, and this publication will show you just how special our city really is. I encourage you to discover all that Hilliard has to offer.

Craig Rusnak

ART DIRECTOR

Alyse Kordenbrock ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Betsy Becker

DIGITAL EDITOR

Erin Edwards

PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR

Tim Johnson

ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

Rob Hardin

ADVERTISING SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Holly Gallucci

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Michelle Crossman, Kyle Nussbaum Jackie Vosler SALES ASSISTANT

Lauren Transue

MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER

Lauren Reinhard

ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION & FINANCIAL MANAGER

Ryan Koenig

Donald Schonhardt Mayor, City of Hilliard

CASE STUDY

18 HOUSING

Options for everyone

ON THE COVER: Main Street in Old Hilliard | Photo courtesy City of Hilliard

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DESIGN & PRODUCTION PRODUCTION/ DESIGN DIRECTOR

HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING OFFICES

20 SCHOOLS

The Hilliard Way

62 E. Broad St. P.O. Box 1289 Columbus, OH 43216 614-888-4567

Hilliard: A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section is published by GateHouse Media, LLC. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © 2018, all rights reserved.

Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials.

PHOTOS: TOP, COLUMBUS MONTHLY FILE; BOTTOM, COURTESY CITY OF HILLIARD

IT’S AN EXCITING TIME in our city as we continue to make Hilliard a more connected and prosperous place to live, work and play.

When I think about what makes Hilliard unique, I always come back to our genuine, down-to-earth and friendly residents and businesses.

The people of Hilliard are what make our community so real.

People move to Hilliard as young singles or newly married couples, and they grow with the city. They have children who attend our schools, they support our local businesses and restaurants, and they actively engage in community events. Residents stay in Hilliard because they love the community and the amenities the city offers.

We boast beautiful streetscapes in the historic district of Old Hilliard, a revived downtown that includes additions such as Hilliard’s Station Park, weekly concerts and locally owned restaurants. Hilliard also has a brand-new branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, a highly

Rylan Lee, Clare Proctor

City of Hilliard Recreation & Parks Department Presents

HOLIDAY HOP

& 29th ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING Sunday, Dec. 2 | 4-6:30 p.m. | Free Entry

Hilliard’s Station Park 4021 Main St.

•

• Hilliard Darby Chamber Choir (5 p.m.) • Scioto Darby Elementary First Grade Choir (6 p.m.) • Tree Lighting Follows Choir (6:15 p.m.) • Santa & Elves • Balloon Twisting • Face Painting • Food Truck

Main St. Activities

• Hilliard Arts Council’s, “A Christmas Carol,â€?

Strolling Carolers

Connections Cookie Decorating Bring the Farm to You Christmas Tree Stilt Walkers Horse & Carriage Rides Ice Sculpting

Historical Village 4162 Columbia St.

• Mrs. Claus & Elves in the Schoolhouse • Free Hot Chocolate • Write a Letter to Santa • • Visit Historical Buildings with Docents • Face Painting • Food Truck

•  � �

Civics and Cultural Arts Center 5425 Center St.

• “Empty Bowls,â€? Project (4-6:30 p.m.) Bowls decorated and donated from Hilliard BradleyÂ? Â? and Davidson High Schools are sold ($10) with a hot bowl of soup. All proceeds go to the Hilliard Food Pantry.(Proud Partners: the Hilliard Arts

Council, Kiwanis Club, Hilliard Bradley High School, Hilliard Davidson High School and the City of Hilliard)

Catch the Free Trolley near Main St. to Hop Between Main St. Activities and the Historical Village

Old Hilliard

BUSINESS

Rebirth New developments in Old Hilliard have transformed the city’s downtown.

PHOTO: COLUMBUS MONTHLY FILE

BY PETER TONGUETTE

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HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION One year has passed since Chad Smock and a pair of friends first discovered that Central Ohioans had a taste for central Texasstyle barbecue.

Last October, co-owners Smock, Brian Jordan and Ty Sells unveiled Legacy Smokehouse in its original incarnation as a food truck in German Village. The trailer’s resting piece of real estate was not especially auspicious: the parking lot of a shuttered Long John Silver’s franchise.

But this summer, Legacy Smokehouse debuted its first brick-and-mortar location in a building on Columbus’ South Side, and in the fall, the restaurant set down even deeper roots with its latest location in Old Hilliard.

“This whole time … we’ve been working on the Hilliard location,” says Smock, a native of Grove City and longtime resident of Hilliard.

“I’m really excited about [it] because it’s going to be truly what we wanted it to be.”

Legacy Smokehouse’s new location at 3987 Main St. is among a plethora of businesses flocking to Old Hilliard, which has undergone a transformation from a sleepy downtown to a vibrant player in the city’s overall economy. Other additions include establishments as diverse as Local Cantina and a credit union.

“Years ago, the only time that I would ever drive through downtown was to get from one part of Hilliard to the other,” Smock says. “It’s no longer a place that you just drive through to get to a different part of the city. People are driving to be there.”

But residents and visitors don’t just drive to Old Hilliard.

“Our office is right here on Main Street, and I’ve seen more people biking, [roller] blading, walking their dogs, runners going by my office,” says Chamber of Commerce president Libby Gierach. “We’ve been here for 16 years and have definitely seen an uptick in pedestrian traffic, which is great for our businesses.”

GOING GREEN

Old Hilliard is highlighted by the scenic presence of two recently added parks: Hilliard’s Station Park and First Responders Park. Gierach calls the area “a local gathering place.”

“It is definitely a place where people want to locate their businesses,” Gierach says. “I have other people who still want to move on Main Street, but it’s difficult to find a location [that’s available].”

Old Hilliard sits atop an abandoned rail line; since falling into disuse, the spot was not exactly a magnet for foot traffic.

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HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

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Main Street in Old Hilliard

“Our Old Hilliard area had a big grassy area with a high-voltage power line running through it back in the early 2000s,” says David Meadows, the city’s economic development director. “Not a lot of people were drawn to our downtown area.”

Wanting to change course, city leaders began to study the role public spaces play in prompting private development.

“Our city planner had gone to a planning event out in New York and was really impressed with this idea of having a park and then encouraging development that spreads like tentacles on an octopus outside of that downtown park area,” Meadows says.

In 2010, First Responders Park was the first of two parks to open in Old Hilliard; five years later, Hilliard’s Station Park—so named for its fresh use of a spot that once housed a train station—made its debut.

“The building that’s on [Hilliard’s Station Park] is meant to look like an old train station,” Meadows says. “There is a space for events.

There is a room that can be leased for a wedding reception. It’s meant to check off a lot of the different things that you’d want as a public amenity.”

PHOTOS: TOP, COURTESY CITY OF HILLIARD; BOTTOM, JONATHAN QUILTER

The splash pad at Hilliard’s Station Park

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HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Gone were the unsightly remnants of the empty rail property; added was a much-prized splash pad.

“The splash pad itself brings people there all during the week and on the weekends for the kids,” Gierach says. “Daycares use it.”

Beyond the parks, the city spent money on streetscape improvements, including the widening of sidewalks.

“The idea was that once there is a significant public investment, and you have a reason to draw people downtown, private investment will follow,” Meadows says. “And that’s exactly what we’ve seen. … There are more fun things to do. You went from having one or two ice cream shops to having four or five.”

The establishment of the parks—in addition to the other enhancements—led businesses to begin migrating to Old Hilliard, city leaders say.

“We started seeing things open in 2013, 2014 … and they just seem to be somewhat

PLACES TO STAY Soon, Old Hilliard won’t depend only on locals to support the restaurants, businesses and other establishments that have sprung up in the area: A trio of new hotels—Marriott’s TownePlace Suites, Tru by Hilton and Avid by Intercontinental Hotels Group, all to be situated on Lyman Drive—are currently being planned.

Although guests must drive, rather than walk, to reach Old Hilliard, Chamber of Commerce president Libby Gierach sees advantages in the arrival of additional hotel rooms in the city.

On two occasions, Gierach says, she has taken hotel staffs on tours of Hilliard, including the refurbished downtown.

“They can see all that Old Hilliard and the rest of Hilliard has to offer,” she says.

“When their guests are asking, ‘What’s going on in Hilliard?’ they can, from their own point of view, talk about what great things are going on in Hilliard.”

Hilliard’s economic development director, David Meadows, says that city leaders aim to draw more visitors to Hilliard and keep them in town after they arrive. “If you come here on business, …. you can stay here, you can eat here, you can play here,” he says. In addition to benefiting business, the additional hotels also offer a win-win for the families and friends of residents of Hilliard.

“It’s important for families that may have out-of-town guests, as well,” Meadows says.

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Top, Daylight Donuts and Café in the Landmark Lofts Complex Bottom left, breakfast at Starliner Diner Bottom right, A Texas Trinity Pitmaster Sandwich and Smoked Mac and Cheese at Legacy Smokehouse

sphere found in Old Hilliard. “This location fit very well,” he says.

Sitting on a site that once was home to a store in the NAPA Auto Parts chain, Crooked Can will anchor Center Street Market, which promises to be a North Market-like emporium of food stalls and shops.

“It will have a nice courtyard in it that blends into the splash pad right across the street,” Meadows says. “The idea is that if you go to the park, you don’t have to get back in your car to do something fun and take advantage of what’s down there. You can park once and you’re there [to explore by foot]—and you can take your bike down there.”

For his part, Fry sees advantages for Crooked Can in being among a diverse array of vendors at Center Street Market. “It’s not just coming in to drink a beer,” he says. “For

HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

dining, it’s a place that everyone could select something different. … [If] you go to a restaurant, you’re going to eat what’s on that menu, and that’s your meal.”

Although larger businesses outside of Old Hilliard—such as call centers, for example— produce a higher income-tax base for the city, Gierach says, commercial activity in the downtown helps drive the economy and has a ripple effect throughout the city as a whole.

“It’s definitely an economic driver,” Gierach says. “It helps to bring people in, and then they can see what other places are in Hilliard.”

IF YOU BUILD IT

Sure to help provide a steady stream of customers to the assorted businesses is a new, 204-apartment development called Landmark Lofts; the complex is located within a few

PHOTOS:, TOP, COLUMBUS MONTHLY FILE; BOTTOM LEFT, JODI MILLER; BOTTOM RIGHT, KYLE ROBERTSON

nonstop now,” Meadows says. “Now, it’s [a matter of], we have people interested in it, and just how do we assemble property and find places for some of the new folks interested in moving down here?”

Some businesses purchase properties and construct their own buildings, but to accommodate the influx and spur further growth, the city has stepped in to acquire some properties for future redevelopment, Meadows says.

And spots that lacked curb appeal—“areas that traditionally probably wouldn’t have just redeveloped on their own,” Meadows says— were made more attractive with the city’s streetscape improvements.

After Smock settled on Old Hilliard as the spot for the second brick-and-mortar location of Legacy Smokehouse, Gierach helped pair the restaurant with the right property: an 1800s-era house that had recently been used as a combination residence and bookstore.

“Chad kept asking me, ‘Is there a place in Old Hilliard?’” Gierach says. “And when my friend bought this property, I said, ‘Here, you guys talk.’ ” To comply with wheelchair-accessibility requirements, Smock and his co-owners built an addition to the existing structure, bumping it to about 2,400 square feet; the restaurant also boasts a 2,000-square-foot outdoor patio.

“It’s just going to be a nice, fun, family place for people of Hilliard to come together and hang out and get some good barbecue,” says Smock, who recently entered his ninth season as the varsity girls’ lacrosse coach at Hilliard Davidson High School.

“I have no shortage of young high school ladies who want to work at Legacy Smokehouse,” Smock says. “‘Hey, coach, can I get an application?’ … We’ve loved Hilliard.

We’ve loved the community.”

Smock also anticipates Legacy Smokehouse benefiting from the city’s commitment to supporting its burgeoning businesses. For example, he was concerned about whether there were sufficient parking spots for the new location.

His worries were alleviated when the city decided to build a new parking lot about a block from Legacy Smokehouse. “They are doing stuff to get people to throng down to the downtown area, for sure,” Smock says.

Also on tap is the city’s first craft brewery, Florida-based Crooked Can Brewing Co.; the brewery’s new spot at 5354 Center St. will be just its second.

Robert Fry of Crooked Can praises the walkability, family vibe and downtown atmo-

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION blocks of Old Hilliard on a spot that Meadows says was ripe for redevelopment.

“The city was able to keep a couple longterm businesses and help them locate to different locations—Starliner Diner being one of them, now in Old Hilliard …. while accommodating this development, which retrofitted and actually embraced this old feed silo,” Meadows says.

Ciera Martin of Oakwood Management, which manages Landmark Lofts, sees the development as part of a larger trend in Central Ohio communities.

“A lot of these suburbs are now seeing urbanization and walkability [become important], and so that sets Landmark Lofts up for a perfect location to be able to walk to downtown Hilliard but also still have the benefits of that Hilliard suburban life,” Martin says. “It definitely makes it easier to market, because that’s what people are looking for.”

Landmark Lofts also houses retail establishments, including Daylight Donuts and Café, Renovo Fitness and Yabo’s Tacos.

Meadows reflects on the initial decision to invest money in parks and other improvements in Old Hilliard as “a leap of faith.”

“Public dollars are finite, so if you’re investing something in your downtown, how does that translate?” Meadows says. In this case, it translated to good news; the gamble has paid off.

“As we see Hilliard being more of a destination for both travel and tourism, and just even some regional visitors and businesses, there’s a reason to come here,” Meadows says. “And, as we grow our visibility in our downtown area, it only helps put Hilliard on the map as a good place to do business.”

In spite of the area’s ongoing evolution, however, city leaders have sought to preserve the heritage of Old Hilliard.

“There are steel trusses with ‘Hilliard’ on them, so you know when you’re entering and exiting that kind of downtown area,” Meadows says. “It’s not just the parks themselves, but the whole idea that the whole downtown environment is vibrant and active.”

Gierbach describes the ambiance as quaint. “We have banners on light poles, as well as these huge baskets of impatiens—just absolutely huge,” she says. “It just is so inviting to be in the community of Old Hilliard, just visually—let alone what else you can partake in down here.”

There are no two ways about it: The “new” Old Hilliard is here to stay.

“I think it’s just the beginning,” Smock says.

“As some of the apartments pop up, not too far away there, I think it’s going to be a pretty popular spot for a lot of people to come to.”

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HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

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On the Move Hilliard provides plenty of happenings to keep its residents active.

BY CLARE PROCTOR Fourth of July at Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park

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HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTO: COURTESY CITY OF HILLIARD

LIFESTYLES

PHOTOS: COURTESY CITY OF HILLIARD

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION There is never a shortage of things to do to stay active in Hilliard. From cooling off at one of the community pools to rollerblading down the Heritage Rail Trail or attending one of the many community festivals, there’s “something for everyone,” says Tim Kauffman, executive director of Destination Hilliard.

Kauffman’s office is only a couple of blocks from the Heritage Rail Trail, a 7-mile multipurpose trail stretching northwest from Old Hilliard through Homestead Park. Within a week of starting his new job in Hilliard, Kauffman was taking note of people utilizing this recreational resource.

“I was impressed by the number, the quantity, but also by the demographic,” he says.

“It was a little bit of everything. Clearly, it’s a resource that’s being used.”

The city prioritizes maintaining the Heritage Rail Trail, as well as many other multiuse trails in the suburb, through the Pedestrian/ Bicycle Mobility and Safety Program, which was founded six years ago to allocate funding for trails and pathways in Hilliard. Letty Schamp, the city’s deputy engineer, manages the program.

The heart of the program, Schamp says, is to encourage mobility by making vital trail connections and targeted safety improvements to crosswalks and other amenities.

“If we can actually tip the scale and get a significant mode shift, so people start using their bicycles or using their feet to get from point A to point B instead of always getting in their car, I think you would see some significant changes in the way people live—the way people move—and reducing some of the congestion on our roadways,” she says.

Having well-maintained trails has led to an increase in bicyclists in Hilliard, says Kristan Turner, recreational supervisor for the city.

“It’s just phenomenal, seeing [people] that ride their bikes to Dairy Queen to get ice cream for the evening,” she says. “You see a lot of people out biking and riding, walking on the trails, either for transportation or for personal use.”

Myriad other plans are in motion to increase the continuity of Hilliard’s trail system. By next spring, the city plans to add new trails on both sides of Northwest Parkway. The trails will connect to existing trails near the Franklin County Fairgrounds and Leap Road, creating a route for pedestrians and bicyclists to get from east Hilliard to Old Hilliard.

At the intersection of Leppert Road and Scioto Darby Road, an ongoing road improvement project will benefit bicyclists and pedestrians as well. The project will

Heritage Rail Trail

Volleyball courts at Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park

connect more than 2 miles of multiuse trails and improve crosswalks outside the schools.

A mere 2 miles down the road marks another renovation plan, this one at the intersection of Scioto Darby Road and Leap Road.

The revamp, still in preliminary stages, will eventually lead to an extension of the Heritage Rail Trail down to the recently announced Quarry Trails Metro Park near Trabue Road and Dublin Road, Schamp says.

Making this connection would also open the door for those commuting to work in Downtown Columbus: It would eventually join with the Scioto Trail, making a continuous multiuse trail between Hilliard and the state’s capital.

“Not everyone feels comfortable riding their bikes on a street,” Schamp says. “If you provide

a good, well-connected trail system, suddenly, people start considering [biking] more.”

GREENSPACE GALORE Accompanying the extensive trail system in Hilliard are the many parks the city offers.

Together, Kauffman says, the suburb’s parks and trails add to the quality of life in Hilliard.

“Having recreational opportunities close to home or part of home is just part of the whole balancing act for a society that works and plays so hard,” he adds. “The recreational piece is something that’s very thoughtful and meaningful to our residents and, hopefully, visitors.”

Marking the start of the Heritage Rail Trail and the city’s original town square is Hilliard’s Station Park, which boasts a

HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

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WINING (AND DINING) ON THE GO

splash pad that is especially popular among children, as well as several food, music and art events. The park also sits within the boundaries of Hilliard’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area—see “Wining (and Dining) on the Go,” at right.

“It’s truly a gathering point for our community,” says Libby Gierach, president and CEO of the Hilliard Chamber of Commerce.

Several trails weave their way through the nearby Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park, including a 3/4-mile trail commonly used for 5K races. With eight baseball and softball diamonds within the park, athletes from young children to senior citizens can get active by playing in one of the park’s many leagues.

Basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, a disc golf course and fishing ponds help fill the rest of the park’s greenspace.

For those seeking a place to cool off in the summer, the park encompasses the Hilliard Family Aquatic Center, which sports five pools, two 30-foot slides, a 10-foot slide and a lazy river.

These parks, among others, provide ample greenspace and opportunity for residents and visitors to connect in Hilliard.

“I think that’s the goal of our city, is to connect with each other,” Turner says.

LONG-AWAITED MAKEOVER Though impressive, the Hilliard Family Aquatic Center isn’t the city’s only source of summertime fun. The Hilliard East Pool has facilitated connections among the Hilliard community for more than half a century, but up until this year, the pool had not received any renovations since 1990, says aquatics supervisor Anastasia Bradley.

14

“The concrete on the bottom of the pool was so old that it would just break up,” she explains.

This safety hazard was remedied by sandblasting, repairing and painting the pool floor. The Phase I renovations addressed other safety concerns, replacing a set of stairs and a ramp to provide safer entry into the pool. For the more thrill-seeking pool goers, a new 14-foot slide replaced the former 10-foot one. And in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, a zerodepth entry, equipped with floor bubbler jets, was added; it’s also perfect for families with smaller children, Bradley says.

Phase II is in the preparation stage, scheduled to be completed by Memorial Day 2019.

The updates will include replacing the guard lounge and employee area, the food and beverage space and the pool bathhouse, which will have two family restrooms once renovations are complete, Bradley says.

Having a well-restored aquatics facility is an important community aspect, she adds.

“It brings people together that may not necessarily have been brought together previously,” Bradley says. “We live in a very technology-based world. By being able to provide good and quality aquatics facilities to the general public and to the children of our community, I think that encourages them to get outside and be in the water and be active, as opposed to staying inside and doing something on the screen.”

EVENTS FOR EVERYONE Also drawing people outside are the diverse events in Hilliard, interesting both residents of the suburb and visitors.

HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

Attracting upward of 30,000 attendees, Kauffman says, is the Franklin County Fair, a weeklong event hosted in the heart of Hilliard at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. The fair boasts country essentials like cow-milking in addition to more adventurous activities: the 2018 fair featured drag racing and a Monster Truck Thrill Show.

The summer months are packed with other outdoor fun. For music lovers, the Hilliard recreation and parks department sponsors the Thursday night Celebration at the Station concert series. The 2018 lineup included local favorites like Three Ton Toad, Lee Gantt and the Reaganomics.

Beth Simon, program manager for the city, says families are increasingly walking and biking to Hilliard’s events, especially using the Heritage Rail Trail. “Our bike racks are totally

PHOTO: COURTESY CITY OF HILLIARD

DORA event in Old Hilliard

Old Hilliard boasts myriad events throughout the year that draw people outside: concerts, festivals, entertainment and more. Now, attendees are free to enjoy alcoholic beverages at events that take place within a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, or DORA. Thanks to legislation passed last summer, patrons can enjoy alcoholic beverages purchased from one of six approved Main Street vendors during certain events, provided they stay within the boundaries of the DORA. Customers wanting to take alcoholic beverages outside can order their drinks in a designated plastic cup, which then allows them to stroll the DORA with their drink in hand. The DORA boundaries run along Main Street from Starliner Diner to Local Cantina and are marked with clear signage.

“It’s been a boom, just a great boom for [these businesses] and for the community,” says Libby Gierach, president and CEO of the Hilliard Chamber of Commerce. “Everybody loves it.”

The Old Hilliard area is the perfect fit for a DORA, adds Tim Kauffman, executive director of Destination Hilliard.

“It’s a central gathering spot for a lot of activities and events in Old Hilliard,” he explains. “It just makes it a real friendly way to go from the events to some of these eateries and local watering holes to enhance the fun factor.”

PHOTO: COURTESY CITY OF HILLIARD

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION full for any of our events in Hilliard’s Station Park,” she notes.

As the leaves change color, signaling the shift to autumn, Hilliard’s events keep coming. Things kick off with the annual Fall Festival in September—think pumpkin-picking and autumn-themed crafts, perfect for the whole family—at the Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park.

Around the same time, the streets of Old Hilliard close to vehicles for Old Hilliardfest, where local businesses set up booths alongside artists, while kid-friendly inflatables fill the remaining space. The festival is topped off with three different stages for musical entertainment day and night, Gierach says.

Turning the clock back in time is the annual Heritage Day—Oct. 27 this year—at the Historical Village at Weaver Park. The event invites attendees to experience life in the 19th century.

“It’s a touch of history, so for young and old alike, I think there’s something for everyone,” Kauffman says.

One of the largest one-day events in the city is the Hollyfest Arts & Crafts Show, featuring unique creations from more than 100 crafters, each with his or her own flair and

Franklin County Fair

technique. This year’s show will be Dec. 1 at Hilliard Davidson High School.

With trails to travel on, parks to stroll through, pools to swim in and events to attend, visitors and residents alike can enjoy the active lifestyle Hilliard has to offer.

“It’s real easy to be active in Hilliard,” Kauffman says. “You could come down to Old Hilliard, as an example, and park your car, eat and drink, and you’re close to the bike trails and the walkways. I think it’s a very vibrant community from that perspective.”

Midwest Allergy We are excited to welcome Dr. Samantha Gendelman to our team! A Board Certified Allergist, Dr.Gendelman treats adults and children, is an Ohio native, and most recently worked at UCLA. She and her family reside in Bexley.

Learn more about our practice, including the Hilliard location, www.midwestallergy.net

Samantha Gendelman, M.D.

Jennifer Bullock, M.D.

Don McNeil, M.D.

Debora Ortega-Carr, M.D.

Philip Rancitelli, M.D.

Grace Ryu, M.D.

HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CASE STUDY

Meeting the Need Hilliard’s growth spurs a library renovation.

“The way the city of Hilliard has grown, it needs all 63,000 square feet,” says Ben Zenitsky, a spokesman for Columbus Metropolitan Libraries, of the city’s new library.

The facility, which opened in June, replaced Hilliard’s aging, 20,000-square-foot branch on Cemetery Road.

The structure housing the new Hilliard branch at 4500 Hickory Chase Way had originally been erected as a senior living facility, but the 2008 recession changed the developer’s plans. For six years, the building sat empty, says Zenitsky. That’s when city officials approached CML about a potential expansion, provided the city purchased the property.

The new Hilliard location is the largest in the CML family, covering more square feet than even the recently remodeled Downtown Columbus library, says Zenitsky. “This is a 21st-century library built for people who love books, while older libraries are built for books,” he says.

All that space allows the Hilliard branch to offer amenities and services supporting CML’s commitment to enticing patrons not

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BY TAMI KAMIN MEYER

only to visit the library, but to linger, too. The locally owned coffee shop on the facility’s first floor, offering snacks and drinks, is just one example of this. Another is the glassedin, all-season room called the Pavilion, which promises a comfortable spot for quiet chats, meditation, online research, reading and more. (In its prior incarnation, that area had been an indoor swimming pool.)

Eleven study rooms for small groups and three large meeting spaces may be reserved, free of charge, by any CML patron. And because they allow food and drink, the rooms are ideal for retreats, marathon study sessions, book signings and other events.

If homework help is needed, the library’s wealth of volunteers and staff members are ready to assist in a specially designated area complete with computers for research and study. “We want to build relationships with the kids,” says Zenitsky. To that end, teens and pre-teens have their own uniquely designed spaces at the library, complete with a selection of age-appropriate books and dedicated computers.

HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

Similarly, the welcoming children’s area features a designated space for programming like puppet shows and story time. Books are housed in box-like units at a height ideal for preschoolers to see and interact with. Walls are designed with large sections cut out to increase the sightlines between caretakers and children. Need to store a stroller?

There’s a special “parking zone” in the kids’ area just for that.

Also within the kids’ area is a sub-section designed specifically for kindergarteners, set apart from the rest of the children’s space by brightly colored letter “Ks” on its walls. According to Zenitsky, that space “mimics a kindergarten classroom to familiarize kids and parents on what to expect” when it’s time for school. It features age-appropriate technology and toys designed for cognitive and motor development.

Not surprisingly, Hilliard Mayor Don Schonhardt is a huge fan of his city’s library.

“There is something for everybody,” he says. “I love that this library is about people and isn’t just about books, publications or media. It is a gathering place, a respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday activities.”

The mayor says he is especially proud of the commitment and collaboration between the city of Hilliard, CML and city residents that led to the library’s relocation and expansion.

“Without that, I’m certain we wouldn’t have the state-of-the-art facility we have today,” he says.

PHOTO: COURTESY COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARIES

Customers explore the Hilliard branch’s light-filled Pavilion, which was originally built to house a swimming pool.

A home in the Britton Farms neighborhood

HOUSING

Boomtown This in-demand city has a little something for everyone.

The housing market is skyrocketing in Central Ohio, and Hilliard is among the area’s boomtowns. In fact, Hilliard may be a contender for the hottest real estate market in the region. Named No. 10 on Realtor.com’s list of Hottest ZIP Codes in America in 2017, this northwest suburb continues to be a top draw for many.

“It has that small hometown feel, and it’s got great parks and schools and an easy commute,” says Laura Esterline, a real estate agent with Hilliard-based Re/Max Keep It 100. “It’s just an all-around great place to be.”

Esterline would know; she opened her office in Old Hilliard in 2016 after living there for 14

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years. (She’s since opted for a more rural setting farther west in Madison County.)

Greg Hart of Hilliard-based HER Realtors – The Hart Family agrees, noting the city’s location and proximity to interstates 70 and 270, which connect Hilliard to Downtown Columbus while still allowing it to maintain a small, tight-knit community vibe.

“That’s pretty hard to keep intact,” Hart adds. “The city has really done a great job keeping up with the growth and following their master [development] plan. I think they’ve done very well in making sure that they’ve been able to keep up with the services that people expect.”

HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

A 35-year, third-generation veteran of the real estate business and lifelong resident of the Hilliard area, Hart has seen Hilliard transform from bucolic Columbus suburb to a destination in its own right. “I think one of the attractions about Hilliard is that it has been able to maintain just that great little city/village feel from 30 years ago,” while still developing enough to meet the needs of modern living, he says.

That unique blend of old and new attracts a wide range of residents, from Ohio State graduate students and young professionals to families and empty nesters. But with that high demand comes a downfall for prospective

PHOTO: COLUMBUS MONTHLY FILE

BY EMMA FRANKART HENTERLY

PHOTOS: COLUMBUS MONTHLY FILE

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION buyers: fewer homes on the market driving increasingly higher prices.

Hart says that first-time homebuyers or those looking to downsize in retirement can expect to pay around $80,000 to $90,000 for a condo and between $150,000 to $200,000 for a ranch-style home.

Market prices vary widely, from $90,000 to $500,000, says Esterline, with average median sale prices hovering just below $200,000 this year. New builds are rare, she says, but available in Heritage Preserve. This Fischer Homes community near Old Hilliard is a nature-focused subdivision, complete with trails and bike paths that connect to the Heritage Rail Trail. There, homes start in the $240,000s and jump as high as $625,000 or more.

For retirees, there is a bit of respite from the overheated market through properties such as Sturbridge Green, a 50-unit apartment complex from Wallick Communities that caters to seniors with lower fixed incomes. Wallick Communities vice president of development Nicole Boyer says that preserving such a property in Hilliard was important for the company.

“We think it’s a really strong community that has a really great history, and we want to help keep those people that have been in the community for the last [few] decades to be able to stay in the community as they get older and can no longer stay in their actual homes,” she says. To that end, Wallick Communities is adding an assisted living facility, Ashford at Sturbridge, to the Sturbridge Green campus this year.

“Our assisted living community is going to provide an opportunity not only for the residents that live in Sturbridge to be able to stay on the same campus as their needs [change],” Boyer says, “but then we’re also providing an opportunity for people that live in the Hilliard area in general to be able to stay in the community and do so at a point that we feel is a value-driven price point.”

The independent apartments are 100 percent full, Boyer notes, with a six- to 12-month wait list. The assisted living facility is slated to open in early December.

Throughout the city, most homes sell at or above list price, says Hart. Closing a contract requires a dedicated buyer who’s ready to move. “You have to be almost contingencyfree, other than your financing,” he says. “You have to go in with basically the best offer that you can.”

A market as competitive as Hilliard’s can be daunting for any prospective homebuyer, but Hart stresses that buying a home here is not an impossible feat. “Is it a difficult

problem for buyers? It is. But … if they’re patient and they get their ducks in a row, they will find a beautiful home in Hilliard, and they’ll love being part of the community.”

That certainly is the case for Robin Thornton, a resident of Hilliard since 2012 and the Hilliard school district since 1991.

She and her husband, Chuck—himself a Hilliard native—moved to their current home after deciding to expand from their former Hilliard condo.

“The neighborhood is just perfect for us,” says Thornton. “It’s nice and small. When we first moved in, there were a lot of original

owners.” Those owners are slowly being replaced by new families, she adds, which she enjoys. She cites the city’s library—and especially the new branch—as well as her proximity to Old Hilliard and the new dining options at Landmark Lofts as key factors that cement her affinity for her city.

When asked how long she and her husband intend to stay in Hilliard, Thornton is quick to respond.

“Oh, forever!” she exclaims with a slight laugh. “It’s just a perfect neighborhood for us, a perfect house for us. I love it, and I love Hilliard.”

A home in the Conklin neighborhood

A home in the Heather Ridge neighborhood HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

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A student runs through a gantlet of Hilliard Davidson Wildcats players following a football game.

EDUCATION

The Hilliard Way

BY JOHN MARSCHHAUSEN

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HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTO: ADAM CAIRNS

How the city’s school system prepares students to be ready for tomorrow—as its mission states.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION The Hilliard Way starts with people.

When a family makes the conscious decision to move to the Hilliard City School District, they enter into a community that values relationships. When families move to the Hilliard City School District, they are joining a community of creativity, passion and heart. Realtor.com has identified Hilliard as one of the top 10 hottest housing markets in the United States, noting the city’s excellent schools as a key factor in that ranking.

The district is a great place to raise a family; people are taking notice of what is taking place in the community.

The Hilliard Way also begins in the district’s schools with its teachers—the most important and valuable resource in Hilliard schools. Learning in the classrooms begins and ends with the teacher. These professionals spend countless hours outside of the student day preparing, grading and creating learning opportunities for their students. They have embraced the district’s growth mindset and value the pursuit of excellence. Education is changing, just as the world students prepare for after graduation is changing.

Hilliard’s teachers have evolved their practices, embraced the discomfort of change and stepped up to meet their students’ needs.

The Hilliard Way extends to students’ homes. The partnership between parents and schools is essential in the work that Hilliard City Schools does. Parents get to choose where they live; they select the community they call home. For many families, it is an intentional decision to attend the Hilliard City Schools. The proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” is part of the culture and DNA of the district, which takes pride in embracing, inspiring and empowering its families as partners in education. The relationships built with Hilliard families are at the core of the work the district does.

The Hilliard Way also extends to the multiple communities the school district serves.

The Hilliard City School District partners with municipal governments, local sports organizations and area businesses. Each of these entities contribute to the fabric of the Hilliard Way. From the Optimist youth sports programs to city partners providing field space, from the Hilliard Arts Council to the wonderful

parks and greenspaces—by working together, the school system and its partners cultivate their approach to family life.

The Hilliard City School District is committed to educating the whole child. Its teachers and staff embrace the responsibility to provide more than an academic foundation for their students. The district’s mission is to prepare students to be “ready for tomorrow.”

That means preparing students not only with academic skills, but also with Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and opportunities to explore careers and interests. The Whole Child Initiative includes all three—academics, mindset and interests. In the Hilliard City School District, preparing students to be ready for tomorrow demands a balance between these three areas.

Academics—along with how academic progress is measured through accountability— is an essential part of the district’s mission.

Its leaders support common assessments and use achievement data to drive decisions on curricular and instructional issues. The district has a panoply of assessments to measure student progress; these assessments drive

PHOTO: KELLY RAMM

Superintendent John Marschhausen visits with a student.

HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

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Students at Alton Darby Elementary with their teacher

data teams, are clear indicators of student learning and provide important reports to both parents and the community.

Mindset—the application of social-emotional learning skills in students’ lives—has always been part of the educational process in the Hilliard school district. Its best teachers have always intentionally worked to develop these attributes in students, and now, the district plans to take the concept of mindset to the next level through intentional alignment of vocabulary, development of curriculum and measurement of student progress. Through its partnership with Panorama Education, the Hilliard City School District is measuring student growth in five specific areas. By gathering data multiple times each year and monitoring progress, district leaders can design a curriculum to drive improvement.

Alignment is vital, as common expectations and resources create opportunities for efficiency and excellence.

Interests—the deliberate exposure to new opportunities and activities—are the key to student motivation. To help students discover their passion, teachers engage them to match skills with emotion. Hilliard City Schools encourages both creativity and critical thinking, and celebrates teamwork and taking calculated risks, all in the pursuit of developing students’ interests. Students in grades six

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through 12 utilize Naviance, a comprehensive college and career readiness tool, to explore interests, discover potential careers and learn about required education and job skills.

This Whole Child Initiative aligns with the district’s ongoing commitment to creating a positive culture in its school buildings. The district continues to work with Tim Kight’s Focus 3 and R Factor—local programs that evaluate performance and the science of results-driven practices. Staff and students live the district’s values of Stand Up and Own It, Power of the Team and Passion for Growth. Leadership doesn’t plan grand, new initiatives; they pursue alignment of their mission and cultivate partnerships between home and school.

The 2018–19 school year will also bring an expanded commitment to student wellbeing and mental health. This is in alignment with the district’s purpose and essential for its mission. Students can’t achieve results in the areas of academics, mindset and interests if they are struggling with mental health or other social issues. And as in all schools, the district’s journey begins and ends with the students in its classrooms. As Benjamin Franklin reminds us, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

Dr. John Marschhausen is superintendent of Hilliard City Schools.

HILLIARD: A COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECTION NOVEMBER 2018

Despite being the eighth-largest district in the state, the Hilliard City School District remains in tune with the idea that each student’s path to success is unique. To that end, the district strives to offer students a variety of alternative educational experiences.

Perhaps most emblematic of this is the Innovation Learning Campus. Here, students grades seven through 12 have the option to diversify their education by taking courses aligned with one of the campus’s five possible networks.

Options range from the Young Professionals Network, which gives students career-specific education or mentorship, to the Imagination Network, offering students advanced studies in the humanities. New in the 2018–19 school year is the Global Network, designed to prepare students for an ever-modernizing global society with courses such as American Sign Language.

Specific schools in the district offer distinctive extracurricular activities for students, too. Hilliard Davidson High School, for example, offers Freshman Focus, a three-day camp designed to introduce new high schoolers to their peers and their school. And clubs are prolific even at the elementary level—for example, fifthgraders at Washington Elementary can write about the school’s latest and greatest through The Wolfie Times or practice mindfulness in a yoga club.

Additionally, Hilliard City School District Preschool is specifically designed to support children ages 3 to 5 who exhibit a delay in one or more developmental areas. As part of the district’s Peer Model Program, classes at the preschool include developmentally delayed students as well as typically developing “peer model” students, who are selected through an application process.

Another example of Hilliard City Schools’ commitment to its students lies in its use of technology. Because the fast-moving world of technology has an intimate role in modern education—and with the modern student—Hilliard City Schools aims to educate families on how to safely go digital. This year, the district designated February as Digital Wellness Month and assigned each week to one of four areas of digital wellness, sending out activities for the whole family to do together. —Rylan Lee

PHOTO: KELLY RAMM

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