December 23, 2010
Westerville Square
Commission, Hadler trade grievances over Walmart plans By JENNIFER NESBITT Plans presented to the comThisWeek Community Newspa- mission were the same as those pers discussed during the commission’s October meeting. Both The Hadler Cos. and Hadler president George Hadler Westerville Planning Commis- addressed the commission for sion members aired grievances about 45 minutes, explaining the about the progress of plans for a company’s plans and asking the proposed Westerville Square Wal- commission and city staff to move mart. quickly on a plan he’s prepared The Hadler Cos., which owns to break ground on immediately. the Westerville Square shopping Hadler said his company had center, was before the planning submitted plans to the city for the commission Dec. 20 for its sec- construction of the Walmart and ond public hearing on plans to renovation of the center six renovate the plaza by demolish- months ago and has seen little ing three empty storefronts to progress or feedback since then. construct a 108,000-square-foot See WALMART, page A2 Walmart.
By Tim Norman/ThisWeek
Christmas carriage ride
Max Spangler and Carol Oakley drive a carriage along Sunbury Lake Drive on Dec. 19. The carriage is from Heinlein Carriage Service, and Spangler’s horses are Ally (right) and Maggie. Many of the houses in the Mariner’s Cove subdivision were decorated to add to the ambiance of its annual horse-and-carriage rides.
Commission OKs Nationwide Children’s expansion By JENNIFER NESBITT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Nationwide Children’s Hospital has the approval of the Westerville Planning Commission to add a third building to its campus at County Line Road and Cleveland Avenue. The commission voted unanimously Dec. 20 to approve a development plan for a two-story, 46,000-square-foot ambulatory surgery center. The commission also voted to declare the development plan a minor modifi-
cation from original plans for the site, meaning Nationwide Children’s will not have to seek additional approval from Westerville City Council. The building will sit at the northwest corner of County Line Road and Executive Campus Drive, just east of Alum Creek. The building itself will sit at the corner of the two roads, with a parking lot extending west to a 50-foot buffer zone with Alum Creek. The building will follow the design of the other two Nationwide Children’s buildings that will neighbor it, the sports
medicine facility and the Close to Home center. The ambulatory surgery center will be built in the same brick, with large glass windows and the same roofline. The building also will have the large window graphics with photos of Westerville children. However, Westerville planning staff and planning commission members took issue with those graphics, ultimately limiting the new building to three graphics. “They’re a nice accent, but they’re on the edge of being too much. They should
be tempered,” said commission member Paul Johnson. The commission also voted down Children’s request for a cabinet-style sign to match the signs on its other two buildings. The signs break with Westar design standards, which call for signs with channel lettering. That was what was originally meant for the two other buildings, city planning and zoning officer Bassem Bitar told the commission. When Nationwide Children’s Hospital changed its name and logo, the new
signs that were installed were the prohibited cabinet style, Bitar said. “As you’re trying to be consistent with your campus, we’re trying to be consistent in this entire area,” said commission member Diane Fosselman in voting down Nationwide Children’s request to do a matching sign on the new building. Overall, planning commission members said they were pleased to see the expansion of Nationwide Children’s See SURGERY, page A2
13 apply for council seat By JENNIFER NESBITT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
The partially completed Main Street bridge sits under a layer of snow Dec. 16. Crews work as weather permits.
County: Main Street bridge construction is on schedule By JENNIFER NESBITT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Winter weather has slowed work on the West Main Street bridge reconstruction, but the project is on schedule to meet its August 2011 completion date, said Franklin County deputy bridge engineer Jim Pajk. “It’s currently on budget. We haven’t had any unforeseen things pop up, so that’s always good,” said Pajk, who is heading up the project. “As far as schedule goes, everything seems to be progressing the way we had hoped.” Though colder temperatures and snow mean
less activity at the construction site, Pajk said that slowdown was planned into the construction timeline, and contractor Kokosing Construction had completed out the work it set to do before cold weather struck. “A lot of times, they kind of plan for down periods in the winter, just due to weather restrictions,” Pajk said. “With that, we are on target.” Pajk said Kokosing has done what was needed to “get the bridge out of the water,” pouring concrete and building supports that fall under See MAIN STREET BRIDGE, page A2
Thirteen Westerville residents have thrown their hats in the ring to become the next member of city council. Applications to fill the seat soon to be vacated by Anne Gonzales were due to council Dec. 17. Gonzales was elected to serve as representative to Ohio’s 20th House District in November. Anne Gonzales Gonzales’ resignation from council will be effective Dec. 31, but her term does not expire until Nov. 30, 2013. Applicants for the seat include: • Bill Highfield, who served on council for 12 years before retiring in November 2009. In his cover letter to council, Highfield said he would be able to step up to fill Gonzales’ seat without needing
By JENNIFER NESBITT ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Westerville is working toward completing its fiber optics network, giving city offices and businesses better access to broadband services. Last month, Westerville City Council approved the purchase and placement of conduit to connect some remaining city buildings to the city’s existing broad-
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to work to increase aid to those in need and employment opportunities across the socioeconomic spectrum. • Jeff Hartnell, the current executive director of the Westerville Visitors’ and Convention Bureau and owner of Hartnell & Associates, a marketing, advertising and promotional firm. With his experience, Hartnell said in his application that he would be able to help attract businesses to Westerville and publicize what the city does in attracting businesses and serving its residents. • Timothy Davey, a financial planner with JPMorgan. In his application, Davey stressed decreasing city expenditures through actions such as reducing the sidewalk rehabilitation program and reducing employee salaries and benefits. • D. Richard Roseman, an attorney who is currently serving a four-year term on Westerville’s See COUNCIL, page A7
City finishing up fiber network
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time to learn council procedures and city issues. • Nathan Aichele, a legislative aide to Ohio Sen. Keith Faber. In his application, Aichele said economic development is the most important issue for the city, and he said he would like to serve on council to promote the city. • Thomas Kolda, a consultant who holds a Ph.D. and has worked for universities including Case Western Reserve University, the University of Wisconsin and Ohio State. Kolda previously served as a city council member in Whitewater, Wis. • Mark Welling, a project executive with Quandel construction. In his application, Welling said his experience as an engineer would help to make land use and development decisions for the city. • Douglas Rankin, a former U.S. Department of Defense employee. • Al Voll, a retired marketing executive. According to his application, Voll said he would like
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band network and to add conduit to the Westar business complex to supplement capacity to the network there. Early next year, city council will vote on placing fiber optics in areas where the city has laid a system of conduit that has not been connected to any fiber network, city information systems director Todd Jackson said. Connecting remaining city offices to the network will increase
speed and reliability for employees, Jackson said. “There’s times when (employees) don’t have quite enough speed out at the remote locations, and it doesn’t work as quickly as they need it to,” Jackson said. “This should help that.” The move also will save Westerville money by allowing it to cancel additional Internet hookups See BROADBAND, page A7