Powell: A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section

Powell A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section

C1_COVER_APR_POWELL.indd 1

4/7/16 5:06 PM

BACKING TO 7TH FAIRWAY OF WEDGEWOOD GOLF COURSE & ON OVER AN ACRE

BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF WEDGEWOOD GOLF COURSE

Fabulous views framed by the many custom windows. Grand 2-story entry with Galleria staircase opening to breathtaking Great Room with a wall of windows overlooking golf course. Wonderful kitchen with abundance of cabinetry opening to Eating Area, 2-story Family Room and porch. 1st floor Master Suite for Royals. Unbelievable LL walkout to large heated self-cleaning pool. Olentangy Schools. $1,595,000

Open floor plan with many large windows that accentuate the beautiful views of the golf course and create such wonderful light throughout this home. Fabulous kitchen with large center island and Eating Area, opening to patio and heated pool. Huge LL with Theater Room, Recreation Area with FP and large well windows, Bedroom and Bath as well as Playroom. It is beautiful! Olentangy Schools. $725,000

STUNNING ALL-BRICK HOME ON 1.76 ACRES IN WINGATE FARMS

Beautifully landscaped property with mature trees, small stream, and large patio for entertaining. Spacious kitchen opening to Eating and Gathering Areas with doors to patio and wonderful back yard. Wonderful Guest Suite/Master on the 1st floor and another huge Master Suite upstairs. Lower level with Recreation Room, Exercise Room and more.

Wingate Farms offers walking paths, 3-hole golf course, tennis courts, and Sheltered Picnic Area. Olentangy Schools $847,00.

PRIVATE AND SERENE GATED AREA IN THE WOODLANDS OF LOCH LOMOND

Stunning stone and stucco home on beautiful cul de sac wooded ravine lot. Fabulous 2-story Entry opening to Dining Area and Great Room with fireplace and a wall of windows framing the woodland views. Spacious Kitchen with Eating and Gathering Areas opening to deck. 1st floor Master Suite also accesses to deck. Fabulous LL with huge Recreational Area with bar, wine storage, bedroom and full bath The LL opens to beautiful patio with entertainment area and hot tub. Breathtaking views! Olentangy Schools. $837,900

Joan King ReMax Achievers (614) 885-5811

002_005_FOB_APR_POWELL.indd 2

joanking@joankinghomes.com

www.joankinghomes.com

4/7/16 3:37 PM

Ron’s Express

Carwash & Oil Change

CARWASH OIL CHANGE HAND CARWASHES DETAILS

FREE wash with every oil change!

BRAKES

INTERIOR CLEANING

8888 MORELAND STREET, POWELL • 740-881-2378

WWW.RONSEXPRESS.COM Off Sawmill Road, one mile north of Powell Road, across from CVS/LA Fitness by the Soccer Park

002_005_FOB_APR_POWELL.indd 3

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

4/4/16 11:11 AM

special advertising section

Welcome to Powell

Associate publisher/ Advertising Director

Rheta Gallagher

EDITORIAL Editor

Eric Lyttle contributors

Steve Lutz

Powell has received several accolades that speak to the high quality of life our residents and businesses enjoy in the community.

• 4th Best Suburb to Live in Ohio by Niche • 12th Best Suburb in America by Business Insider • 13th Safest City in Ohio by Safewise • Wealthiest Community in Ohio by MSN Money • Standard & Poor’s ‘AAA’ with a stable outlook bond rating • Delaware County ranked as the Second Happiest Place to Live in the United States by SmartAsset.com • Delaware County ranked the Healthiest County in Ohio by CountyHealthRankings.org We invite you to come see why Powell is one of the best places to live—not only in Ohio, but the United States—in the following pages of this special suburban section of Columbus Monthly.

You’re at home in Powell. Welcome home.

Steve Lutz City Manager

Kristin Campbell Chris Gaitten Dave Ghose Brooke Preston Jessica Salerno Jillian Span Hofbauer

DESIGN & production Production/ Design Director

Craig Rusnak

Art director

Alyse Kordenbrock Associate art director

Betsy Becker

Digital Editor

Erin Edwards

ADVERTISING Account Executives

Michelle Crossman Holly Gallucci Kelly Morris Jackie Vosler

Sales Assistants

Alex Albrecht Chelsea Savage

Editorial/Advertising Offices

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

Powell: A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section is published by GateHouse Media, LLC. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © 2016, 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.

6

16

20

22

Powell has quickly risen from sleepy outlier to the “it” suburb.

Powell’s residents are its greatest amenity.

Managed development allows logical growth.

Great schools contribute to Powell’s appeal.

Growth

4

Publisher/General Manager

Ray Paprocki

Brian Lorenz Mayor

Inside

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section

Quality of life

Business

Education

photos: courtesy city of powell

Greetings, We take pride in maintaining a vibrant downtown, safe neighborhoods and an active and engaged citizenry. Powell has paired a small-town, family-friendly atmosphere with all of the modern-day conveniences and amenities of a growing community.

Powell is home to an Brian Lorenz accredited police department.

With an average police safety response time of 2 minutes and 17 seconds, Powell is continually rated as one of the safest places to live in Ohio.

We offer more than 200 parks and recreation camps and programs, providing a place for every child to play, create, learn and imagine. On a warm day, residents can hop on a bike and ride along more than 23 miles of trails, ending up in our historic district or at one of our parks. Families can bond over the toe-tapping music of a Lolli-Pops Children’s Concert or put a blanket in their usual spot and watch the colorful fireworks display that concludes the annual Powell Festival.

We have seen tremendous growth in the city over the past 20 years. In 1990, our population was only 2,154. Fast forward to today, and we have nearly 13,000 residents.

This growth is just one indicator of how desirable Powell is as an area to raise a family or open a business.

Powell

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

002_005_FOB_APR_POWELL.indd 4

4/7/16 2:37 PM

VAL P OW ELL FESTI 2016 June 24-25, Presented by

The Powell Festival is the community’s signature event of the year.

This two-day summer experience stands out in delivering family-friendly

Technicare Stage

PEARL RIVER BAND | THE REAGANOMICS | CT4 | BON JOURNEY | FIREWORKS

Friday, June 24, 5-11 p.m. | Saturday, June 25, noon-11 p.m.

Comfort press The Leader in Energy Management

op 428 Tro

®

Powell Sertoma Club

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA®

ThisWeek COMMUNITY NEWS

www.facebook.com/powellfestival

002_005_FOB_APR_POWELL.indd 5

www.cityofpowell.us/powellfestival #PowellFestival

www.twitter.com/powellfestival

4/5/16 11:59 AM

special advertising section An aerial view of Powell’s Adventure Park

Powell has quickly risen from sleepy outlier to the “it” suburb.

By Brooke Preston

6

photo: courtesy city of powell

Where Do We Grow From Here?

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

006_015_FEAT_QUALITY_APR_POWELL.indd 6

4/6/16 3:33 PM

special advertising section

$20 OFF A BIRTHDAY TEA It’s safe to say that Powell is having a moment. The city just across Franklin County’s northwest edge has rocketed from quiet outlier to one of the fastest-growing communities in Ohio. What supercharged this tiny, anonymous farming hamlet into the suburban Shangri-La so many Columbus families now clamor to call home?

The answer in three words: location, location, location.

PAST: From sleepy farmland to affluent city

www.GlassSlipperTeas.com

tea birthday e v i s u l c n i l l Unique a

A few of our favorite teas... Alice in Wonderland, Pretty Princess, Spa-aah, Mary Poppins, and “Frozen” Tea Parties

77 W. Olentangy St, Powell

614.433.9171

parties for girls 4+

Summer program dates are Monday, July 25-28th from 6-8pm at Scioto Reserve CC. Ages 11 - 14. Please email SHaney@glassslipperteas.com for registration information.

As Columbus grew, developers blazed trails ever further beyond the I-270 Outerbelt to keep up with demand. Around 1987, that ripple of residential development reached Liberty Township and Powell. With it came thousands of eager buyers looking for a low cost of living, a safe place to raise a family and the rare opportunity to be neo-pioneers of sorts, cultivating a bedroom community more or less from scratch.

To understand the magnitude of this sudden boom, consider that between 1970 and 1980, the then-village’s population grew from 374 to 387—an underwhelming gain of 13 people. This was the status quo, dating back to the advent of the 19th century when the first settlers arrived to the area (albeit originally dubbed Middlebury, as most of the settlers arrived from Middlebury, Connecticut). By the 1990 U.S. Census, the resident count ballooned to 2,154.

Incredibly, that sudden tidal wave of growth still hasn’t ebbed. By 2000, 6,247 people called Powell home; by 2010, that number nearly doubled again to 11,500 people. Just six years later, local officials now estimate there are closer to 13,000 residents.

One of those is former Powell City Councilman Richard Cline, who was part of the initial wave of growth. “Right after law school, I worked as the assistant prosecutor for Powell,” he says. “Through that, I came to know a little about the community and honestly just fell in love with it. My wife and I were looking to build a house in the early ’90s, so we headed here. I just think that for the value, you could not find a better community than Powell. [We got] a lot more house, in a much nicer setting, for a lot less money than any other suburbs we looked at.”

Resident Kent Bermingham was also part of the first wave, moving to Powell from Michigan in 1987. “There’s been phenomenal growth,” he says. “A lot of it has been driven by the desirability of the great school system, the large remaining amount of undeMay 2016 A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section

006_015_FEAT_QUALITY_APR_POWELL.indd 7

7

4/6/16 2:52 PM

special advertising section

Enjoying the day at Library Park

8

tory of each person, to help remember those who first settled Powell.” Though historians often focus on the most famous (or infamous) figures, Bermingham is quick to point out that Powell’s pioneer residents were largely humble farmers, sometimes holding a dual role such as postmaster. “These are the types of people who simply worked here, raised their families here, went to war ... there are many Civil War veterans buried here. It’s not a community that really had a lot of famous people, but they still contributed a lot from that standpoint.”

Though a few older buildings still stand (like the former home that now houses the Historical Society headquarters, along with a few older buildings downtown along Olentangy and Liberty streets), the new development didn’t have to bulldoze the past to build Powell’s new chapter. Says Bermingham, “It’s not like some cities,

we’re not an area in which we have an old main street of big historic mansions. They just didn’t exist. Early Powell was a dusty little old crossroads.”

PRESENT: THE BEST HOMETOWN IN OHIO (WITH A LITTLE HEAVY TRAFFIC) Take a stroll through the charming downtown antique shops and boutiques, and it’s easy to see why Powell is frequently named among the best hometowns in Ohio. Powell is delightfully light on suburban sprawl and remarkably high on city services (maintaining its own police department and city government, but sharing a fire department and EMS services with Liberty Township). Plentiful amenities include eight city parks, which cover a combined 90 acres and boast impressive features like 24 miles of bike trails and Village Green Park’s splash pad.

photo: courtesy city of powell

veloped land, the strong reputation the city has garnered and the access to expressways. It’s a little bit similar to New Albany in those respects.”

While now retired from both his career in insurance and his role as past treasurer and board member of the Powell Liberty Historical Society, Bermingham’s passions for history and his community continue to intersect in a number of unique ways that honor the town’s past residents and enrich its current incarnation. He “adopted” the old Powell cemetery, where many of the first settlers are buried, using techniques drawn from his amateur archaeology trips to Israel, Jordan and Egypt to help uncover and restore long submerged headstones.

“I’ve been in the throes of ancestry.com, doing research on all 150 graves there to create what I call a living cemetery,” he says.

“We hope to provide something on the hisA Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

006_015_FEAT_QUALITY_APR_POWELL.indd 8

4/6/16 3:33 PM

Powell Jewelers

10245 Sawmill Pkwy., 614/764-4764, powelljewelersonline.com If you miss the good old days of outstanding customer service and great pricing, then shop at Powell Jewelers. Paula and Jim will help guide you in selecting the perfect item for all occasions. Our galleries of fine jewelry include an extensive bridal collection. We are also proud to showcase the work of local artisans along with a unique assortment of designer brands. We have proudly provided our patrons creative, elegant and award-winning pieces for over 30 years. We are locally owned and operated, assuring that all repairs, remounts and custom work will be personally attended to on-site.

Powell Jewelers, where customers become friends and friends become family.

006_015_FEAT_QUALITY_APR_POWELL.indd 9

4/7/16 11:18 AM

Powell’s 50 S. Liberty St. development

Tanya McCarthy, executive director of the Greater Powell Area Chamber of Commerce, believes this mix of big-city livability and smalltown feel contribute to the area’s ever-growing popularity. She says, “I’ve lived around here for about 20 years because it’s a very family-friendly area. It still has a small-town coziness, but you’re close to a big city. It’s a win-win.” She adds, “It’s still a very familyfriendly area, though it’s not quite the small town it used to be.”

She’s right. According to officials, Olentangy Local School District, which serves Powell, is the fastest-growing school district in Ohio. It is set to break ground on a fourth high school (on Berlin Station Road) to help alleviate overcrowding, funded by a tax levy voters approved in March. The school district isn’t just big, it’s exceptionally good: each of the high schools ranks among the state’s top 10, according to U.S. News and World Report. “[The amenities] are really a testament to the commitment that our voters made; they approved a bond levy to create [the park system]. Every new resident I’ve talked to has a different reason for coming to Powell, but one thing that’s common among all of them is the

“DIY Like Never Before!”

(614) 726-9108 • 347 W Olentangy St, Powell, OH 43065 10

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

Find us on Facebook & Instagram

photo: courtesy city of powell

special advertising section

The Greater Powell Area Chamber of Commerce presents

Thursday, May 19 5:30-9:00PM

The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium Evening entertainment provided by Conspiracy

2016 FEATURED VENDORS

CORPORATE PARTNERS

EVENT PARTNERS Midwest Technical Associates • Klatte Photography • Creative Financial Insurance • Voss Brothers • Dynamic Spine & Muscle Health The Delaware County Bank • American Family Insurance/Ty Kashmiry Agency • Foertmeyer Greenhouse • WesBanco

For more information or to purchase tickets visit our website www.tasteofpowell.com

006_015_FEAT_QUALITY_APR_POWELL.indd 11

4/5/16 12:01 PM

Entrance to Powell’s Falcon Ridge housing development

12

appreciation for how good of a job Olentangy does in educating our children,” Cline says.

“It’s a very important part of why Powell has been so attractive.”

The city’s deep pride and sense of citizen responsibility translate into a local government so civil and productive, Powell gives off an almost Elysian allure, in stark contrast to its often bitterly gridlocked national counterpart. Says Cline, “We’re blessed with very good leaders, like City Manager Steve Lutz.

Steve generates a culture of service and respect that just echoes throughout the entire city government. We have the lowest income tax rate in Central Ohio, which has proven to be a draw for people to be able to get the sorts of city services they want.”

Bermingham agrees: “We’ve had our problems with traffic. But most people would say it’s a nice place to live—the great schools, city systems and city government.

The city leaders are very progressive, the city council has a tremendous cross section of very fine people and truly reflects the demographics of the city as a whole.”

McCarthy agrees that the biggest local concern always seems to be the annoyance of heavy local traffic, the unwelcome

photo: courtesy city of powell

special advertising section

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

006_015_FEAT_QUALITY_APR_POWELL.indd 12

4/6/16 3:40 PM

special advertising section

Downtown Powell

downside of the population boom in a geographically small area. The city is working on expansions to Murphy Parkway and Sawmill Parkway among other solutions.

Powell’s quality-of-life demographics (for instance, less than one-half of one percent of its population lives under the poverty line) point to a community that, while warm and family-driven, is decreasingly diverse and increasingly out of reach for much of the middle class. The median family income in Powell is $140,074, compared to $56,371 for the city of Columbus (as of 2014). And while there are still relatively good home values to be found, the market is being inflated by high demand. In other words, this much safety and high-end livability doesn’t come cheaply—at least not nearly as cheaply as it once did.

photo: courtesy city of powell

FUTURE: WHAT WILL CHANGE (AND WHAT WON’T) So where does Powell grow from here? “Powell just underwent a massive comprehensive plan. We had five-, 10- and 20-year plans finalized last year, with lots of input from community members,� McCarthy says. She also notes a wave of new businesses and institutions opening, including a new candy shop downtown, a new artisan workshop called Makerspace and Ganzhorn Suites, a new Alzheimer’s-focused assisted living facility on Sawmill Parkway. “As Powell has expanded, we have embraced the Sawmill Parkway corridor and the commercial developments there that

Proudly offering

Powell families

A better way to

BANK!

- Checking & Savings Accounts - Auto, Home, & Student Loans - Low-Rate Credit Cards - Business Banking - 24/ 7 Online & Mobile Banking

4078 Powell Road!

May 2016 A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section

006_015_FEAT_QUALITY_APR_POWELL.indd 13

13

4/6/16 3:41 PM

special advertising section

CAROLYN ABBRUZZESE, LISW -S 614.361.5643 CHRISTINA LOMBARDO, MA, Wellness Coach 614.332.9747 BARBARA JO DENNISON, PhD, LISW-S 614.888.8440 ELAINE GRUBB, LPCC, LICDC 614.789.0300 HUMERA MAHMOOD, IMFT, LICDC 614.537.1985 KAREN KRUZAN, LISW-S, CPO-CD 614.795.0626 LIZ WILLIAMS, Sex Therapist 937.642.8488 SHELLY PINNELL, LISW-S 614.985.4694 VANESSA COLLIER, LPC 614.313.1221

161 SOUTH LIBERTY STREET

POWELL, OHIO 43065

FITNESS & WELLNESS. P R I M A RY C A R E & S P O RTS M E D I C I N E .

A F U L L- S E RV I C E E M E R G E N CY D E PA RT M E N T. I T A L L A D D S U P TO

A H E A LT H I E R Y O U .

There’s no time like today to take the first step toward a healthier tomorrow. And now there’s no better place to take you there than MC Fitness & Health in Lewis Center. Our new integrated health and fitness center offers the latest in fitness facilities as well as physical therapy, cardiac rehab, mammography services, and specialty physicians, primary care offices and an emergency department, all of which are now open. MC Fitness & Health. Where a healthier future starts today.

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT NOW OPEN mountcarmelhealth.com

14

improve the tax base and provide services for residents,” says Cline. He concedes that there’s some debate in the community about what the face of Powell should look like in the future. “Some think we should embrace a more walkable development, with residential in close proximity to commercial, particularly in the downtown area,” he says. “Often that means multi-family units, which residents have varying opinions about. Powell needs to decide as a community what we want.” However, he adds that Powell has always been a bedroom community at heart, and is on track to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Bermingham agrees that while another century of development is likely to ultimately make Powell more insulated (like former farmland communities Clintonville and Upper Arlington), Powell largely remains a place where families want to come to “raise their children, go to church and spend good time with their friends.” He adds, “We’re not going to have Apple move in. The city’s just not situated like that.”

Bermingham is at work on his latest local labor of love, restoring an old barn that remains from the 1800s, now on city property. He is visiting with city officials and assembling a committee to collaborate on the project. He hopes to be able to open the barn doors to the public in two to three years to show what life on a working farm looked like for Powell’s earliest residents. If he succeeds, he’ll have found yet another interactive way to connect the now bustling city with its humble roots.

“Powell is just a sleepy little town that, you might say, woke up,” he says.

photo: courtesy city of powell

More than 23 miles of bike trails are found in Powell.

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

006_015_FEAT_QUALITY_APR_POWELL.indd 14

4/7/16 3:36 PM

ADVENTURE

SAFARIGC.COM

006_015_FEAT_QUALITY_APR_POWELL.indd 15

4/5/16 3:21 PM

special advertising section

Living in Powell Its residents are its greatest amenity.

By Jessica Salerno

16

photo: courtesy city of powell

Making s’mores at Powell’s community bonfire

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

016_019_FEAT_ECONOMY_APR_POWELL.indd 16

4/6/16 3:23 PM

special advertising section

For those looking to live in a place that combines the advantages of small-town living with the conveniences of the big city, Powell is a welcome haven among the many busy Central Ohio suburbs. About 20 minutes north of Columbus, this growing city boasts excellent schools, a thriving downtown full of eclectic local businesses and an active parks and recreation system.

The quaint downtown is a big draw for both residents and visitors. Shopping options include everything from jewelry shops and boutiques that sell wedding dresses to antiques, furniture and clothing, with dining options for a bite or a treat between stops.

“We’re trying to market the city to be a destination, whether it’s a date night, girls night out or a Saturday shopping trip,” says Megan Canavan, director of communications for Powell.

The city government and the business community regularly work together to promote shopping local, whether that means having a city official cut the ribbon welcoming a new proprietor to town or teaming to promote an event. “We work hand in hand to help empower business owners as much as possible,” says Canavan.

Local businesses aren’t just supported by the city, but by their fellow business owners as well, and it’s not unusual to see two or more businesses working together to help market the area. “There’s nothing like going to a chamber function and people welcoming each other with hugs because they have been doing business together for years,” says Tanya McCarthy, executive director of the Greater Powell Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Being involved with all the other businesses here is a big portion of where our success comes from,” says Jeff Kirby, owner of Powell Village Winery.

Kirby and his wife, Gina, decided on Powell as the location for their urban winery after falling in love with the city for its walkability and fun downtown atmosphere. They host a wide range of events, including craft nights and chili cookoffs. But when Kirby isn’t spending time at the winery, he’s involved in what’s going on around the city. Previously he was on a board for historic downtown Powell, and he’s also been tapped to use his architecture degree to help design new street banners.

Another popular Powell dining location is Local Roots, known for its fresh produce and locally sourced ingredients for a menu that changes seasonally. The owner, Jessi Iams, makes a conscious effort to participate in the community as well.

YOUR LOCAL FULL-SERVICE BIKE SHOP Carrying Cannondale, Scott, BMC, and Schwinn bikes.

We repair all makes and models.

Mon - Fri 10:00 - 7:00 Sat 10:00 - 5:00 240 North Liberty Street, Unit J Powell, Ohio 43065 www.wheeliefunbikeshop.com 614-396-7131 wheeliefunbikeshop@gmail.com

We have over 40 vendors!

Enjoy the thrill of the hunt!

Antiques, collectibles, primitives, barn wood and beams, repurposed furniture and much more!

“Home of the Nickelodeons” (614) 885-5588 18 N. Liberty St. Powell, Ohio 43065 M-Sta. 11-5 Sun 12-5

10465 Sawmill Rd. | Powell, OH 43065 (614) 761-2020 www.dublinmontessoriacademy.com

“We serve the future by protecting the present. The more fully the needs of one period are met, the greater will be the success of the next.”

-M. Montessori

ALL ACCESS ackstage pass to the Arch b r u City Yo Visit ColumbusMonthly.com and sign up for our weekly newsletter that includes special events, important conversations, exclusive giveaways and more.

May 2016 A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section

016_019_FEAT_ECONOMY_APR_POWELL.indd 17

17

4/7/16 2:57 PM

special advertising section Memorial Day Parade

Event Calendar May 6: Touch a Truck May 30: Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony June 6: Lolli-Pops!

Summer Children’s Concert Series June 24-25: Powell Festival July 11: Lolli-Pops!

Summer Children’s Concert Series Aug. 1: Lolli-Pops!

Summer Children’s Concert Series

Local Roots works regularly with the school systems to feed teams for events, and uses local bakeries such as Beehive Bakery Bread in its menu selection. “I try to get involved in as many different aspects of Powell as I can,” says Iams.

“I think it makes us stronger,” Iams adds.

“When we’re all on the same page and help support each other, everyone can excel.”

When residents aren’t enjoying the local dining and retail shops, they can choose from one of the many activities in Powell and nearby.

One of Central Ohio’s biggest tourist draws, the nationally renowned Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and its accompanying Zoombezi Bay water park, is just a short drive away.

Residents can also enjoy more than 23 miles of bike trails in Powell, along with eight parks spread throughout the city of about 13,000. Powell hosts its own Memorial Day Parade, centered on the Greater Powell Veterans Memorial, located in Village Green Park. It was created after a local soldier was killed in action, and residents can purchase bricks in remembrance of loved ones to add to the memorial.

Families with young children can sing along to the Lollipops Concert summer series, also in the Village Green, or take part in the Taste of Powell on May 19, organized by the chamber, where local Powell eateries gather at the Columbus Zoo to show off their most flavorful works. The approximately

18

800-ticket event sells out almost every year.

This year, there will be live music and McCarthy says they’re hoping to add a couple of food trucks to the mix.

But possibly the biggest draw of the summer is the Powell Festival, which McCarthy describes as “a homecoming” where “everybody who hasn’t seen each other in a while can get together.” The two-day festival, June 24-25, features a lineup of bands and ends with fireworks on Saturday night. Food choices include local eateries along with other popular fare.

Parks and recreation opportunities are available year-round, whether it’s a creative indoor activity or an outdoor adventure. Summer camp options include cooking, learning more about the history of Powell or exploring the outdoors, among others. Classes include sports and exercise, jewelry making, gardening and even the chance to become certified in babysitting.

The newest addition to Powell’s more than 85 acres of parkland soon will be the Park at Seldom Seen, which will offer athletic fields, playgrounds, a nature area and a spot for the public service department to operate once construction begins in 2018.

“Powell has, over the years, had a controlled growth,” says Steve Lutz, city manager for 19 years. “We certainly don’t grow just for growth’s sake. It has to make sense for the community.”

The city is working on completing the Murphy Parkway extension, a $2 million project

that will divert cars around the downtown to alleviate some of the growing traffic problems.

The city has seen tremendous growth in recent years, but planned development is helping to assure that future growth does not outpace services. Patti Wright-Brown, vice president of operation at Howard Hanna RealCom Realty, has been selling homes in Powell since 2002 and is also a resident.

She says a lot of what sets Powell apart from other housing markets in Central Ohio is “the great schools we have.” Powell residents send their children to the Olentangy Local School District, one of the fastest-growing districts in the country.

Verona Village in Powell was selected as the site for the 2016 Parade of Homes in July.

Formerly the site of Shamrock Golf Club, the 114-acre golf course is being transformed into a 166-home subdivision.

“We have a wide array of [home] price ranges,” says Brown-Wright. “You don’t have to be a millionaire to live in Powell. We can find you just about any home that you’re looking for in your budget.”

Beyond the amenities, however, Lutz says the best thing about Powell is still its residents. “As for our subdivisions, our parks, our downtown, the one thing that stands out the most is the people, the residents,” Lutz says. “[Because of them] Powell will continue to be on the upswing for many years to come.”

photo: courtesy city of powell

Aug. 2: Mystery Night Out

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

016_019_FEAT_ECONOMY_APR_POWELL.indd 18

4/7/16 2:40 PM

Village Academy offers each student an engaging, unparalleled educational experience.

Students enjoy a collaborative, highly personalized approach to private education, and our graduates are well-rounded critical thinkers, uniquely prepared to succeed in a competitive global environment.

As the only pre-k through grade 12 independent school located in Powell, Village Academy is honored to have the support of the community as well as the VA families and dynamic faculty members.

We encourage you to visit our campus, experience our environment, see our students and teachers in action, and immerse yourself in our incredible community.

The path to success is different for everyone.

Find YOURS at Village Academy.

CALL FOR A TOUR TODAY! 614.841.0050 100% of our students have the opportunity to follow their academic talents, passions, and interests!

VillageAcademy.org | 614.841.0050 | 284 S. Liberty St. | Powell, OH 43065 Connect with us!

016_019_FEAT_ECONOMY_APR_POWELL.indd 19

VAgriffins

@Village_Academy

4/7/16 4:19 PM

special advertising section

Doing Business in Powell Managed development allows logical growth.

Over the years, Powell has developed a reputation as a charming and friendly locale, but with amenities that are exceptionally strong for a city of its size. These factors alone make Powell an attractive place to locate a business, since a happy employee is often a more productive one.

Add to its quaint and welcoming atmosphere a pro-business government structure, and it is no wonder that the city enjoys a thriving commercial culture.

Powell City Planner Rocky Kambo says the city has an ideal cross section of small and large businesses. Companies are situated in carefully designed concentric arcs that have professional offices and boutique businesses in the center of town, with larger businesses (and the related traffic) on the outskirts of the city.

Kambo says perhaps the most defining business district is at the heart of Powell in the city’s historic center.

“At the crossroads of Liberty [Street] and Powell [Road], we have a variety of different businesses,” he says. “There are restaurants, a title agency, lawyers’ offices—it all makes a great, walkable downtown neighborhood.”

Proceeding west along Powell Road, slightly larger businesses line the thoroughfare leading to Sawmill Parkway, which is alive with large retail and service establishments.

“We have a good transition from a small, quaint downtown to little standalone shops, to big box stores along Sawmill Parkway,” Kambo says.

Powell has exquisite parks and a battery of other fine services, which could reasonably result in high taxes across the board. However, Megan Canavan, director of communications, says Powell has the lowest income tax rate in Central Ohio. The city’s rate is 0.75 percent, compared with the 2.5-percent rate Columbus residents pay, she says, and that makes Powell attractive to employers.

20

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

Canavan says the city can provide a high quality of living, yet keep costs low, by employing a careful approach to spending.

“We are very fiscally conservative and we have been for years, and this has enabled us to provide great amenities,” she says.

Powell also keeps the machinery moving by attracting and retaining business. The city’s community improvement corporation looks at payroll and employee numbers, and offers tax incentives to companies whose presence would add to the culture.

That means growth, but not growth that is unchecked and without direction. “This is a desirable community,” Kambo says. “A lot of

people want to come here, and we welcome that. One way we manage growth is that we have a great staff that understands our community ideals and values.”

Kambo says, through many public forums and opinion polls, the community recently updated its comprehensive plan to further define the goals of the people who call Powell home. As the city grows, every decision that is made is examined in the light of that plan, Kambo says. “It lays out a very clear vision of what we want the community to look like,” he says. “There will be no surprises for businesses coming to the city of Powell.”

photos: courtesy city of powell

By Kristin Campbell

30 Years, Second Generation.....

Going Strong Family owned and operated since 1985, Kimberly’s Diamond Corner is a full service fine jeweler located in the heart of downtown Powell. Offering a unique assortment of bridal, platinum, gold, and sterling silver jewelry in the latest trends and fashions, you’re guaranteed to find what you’re looking for. It is the consistent personal quality that keeps clients coming back for more. Whether you are making a new purchase, getting a repair, or placing a custom order, we invite you to become part of the Kimberly’s family!

1 N Liberty St, Powell, OH 43065 (614) 436-4653 kimberlysdiamondcorner.com

020_021_FEAT_HOUSING_APR_POWELL.indd 21

4/6/16 3:05 PM

Great Schools Contribute to Powell’s Appeal Olentangy’s expansion mirrors Powell’s.

By Kristin Campbell The phenomenal growth that the city of Powell has experienced in recent years is partly due to the strength of the local school system. In turn, Powell’s growth has also helped spark an equally tremendous amount of growth in the Olentangy Local School District.

In 1989, Olentangy schools operated from a single building. It is now the seventh-largest district in Ohio, with 19,350 students among its ranks. Eleven of Olentangy’s 23 buildings service students from Powell. This includes two high schools, three middle schools and six elementary schools, and officials push to keep quality high.

“Olentangy Local Schools is one of the state’s premier school districts,” says district spokesman Devon Immelt.

22

A Columbus Monthly Suburban Section May 2016

The district has been ranked among top schools by national media outlets including Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report. The district’s three high schools have been ranked fifth, seventh and ninth in Ohio, and also have been ranked among the top 200 schools in the nation, enjoying success not just academically, but also athletically and elsewhere, with award-winning art, theater and music programs.

Citizens have reported being drawn to Powell for its schools. “Parents want to live in a community that has an excellent school system,” Immelt says. “That is why Olentangy has been the fastest-growing school district in the state for more than 10 years.”

Also serving Powell students is Village Academy, situated on a campus in the heart of Powell. The school, founded as part of Learning Unlimited in 1976, now serves 300 students in pre-K through high school. The school mirrors the small community feel that Powell manages to hold onto in spite of its growth.

“This is a great place to go to school because we are completely student-centered,” says Tres Marangoni, dean of faculty and students for the Upper School.

Head of School Susan Lasley says Village Academy practices advancement through mastery. “Even at the youngest levels, stu-

dents progress at their own rate,” she says.

As students discover their strengths, they take on more challenging work, so that many are enrolled in college classes during their high school years.

Village Academy students work alongside professionals in internships and mentor relationships, and they can achieve graduation with distinction by concentrating their focus on a single area of study. The school recently added a music conservatory and a maker lab.

The success of this method of exploration and encouragement is reflected in student achievement. Village Academy students have published research papers, given TED Talks and presented their work at national science fairs.

The 22 members of the 2015 graduating class were granted $3 million in scholarship offers.

Colleen Gotherman, assistant to the head of school, says the faculty and students of Village Academy strive to be a positive force in Powell. Members of the school participate in cultural activities in the city throughout the year. She says that residents and businesses looking to locate in Powell benefit from the activities of the school, even if they never enroll a child there. “This outreach component helps build our community,” Gotherman says. “Village Academy is very much a community partner.”

photo: courtesy city of powell

special advertising section

Handbags • Jewelry • Scarves • Shoes • Belts • Rings GIFT SHOPPE - MOTHER’S DAY IDEAS

PERENNIALS for SUN & SHADE

CUSTOM PLANTINGS for SUN

FAIRY GARDENS & ACCESSORIES

Baker’s Village Garden & Gift Shoppe ~ for the finest in gifts, floral design & gardening ~ 9267 Dublin Road • Powell, Ohio 43065 • 614-889-9407

Visit the website for current store hours: www. BakersVillageGardenCenter.com Become a fan at www.facebook.com/BakersVillage

ANNUAL FLOWERS • BEAUTIFUL HANGING BASKETS • POTTERY YARD ART • FLORAL DESIGN • APPAREL AND ACCESSORIES

022_024_FEAT_EDUCATION_APR_POWELL.indd 23

4/4/16 11:18 AM

Beauty and Elegance Levi’s 4 Floors introduces some of the most luxurious, fashion forward carpets available. From traditional to modern, classic to casual, romantic to uptown, carpet by Masland offers timeless patterns and lasting quality. Choose from hundreds of the most beautiful styles and fashions plus enjoy Levi’s 4 Floors concierge service including free in-home consultation, a lifetime installation warranty, and Levi’s exclusive premium installation package. Levis4Floors.com

WORTHINGTON 6329 Busch Blvd.

846-4441

POWELL 400 W. Olentangy St. 766-4446

HILLIARD 2526 Hilliard-Rome Rd. 876-6400

POLARIS 2035 Polaris Pkwy.

848-9900

BLACKLICK 62 N. ReynoldsburgNew Albany Rd. 759-2400

Mon-Thurs open until 8 pm, Fri-Sat open until 6 pm, closed Sunday.

022_024_FEAT_EDUCATION_APR_POWELL.indd 24

4/5/16 12:01 PM