August 4, 2011
The Shops at Worthington Place
Panera, Johnson’s, Swan Cleaners coming By CANDY BROOKS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
‘Reinvention’ begins on Worthington mall
Panera Bread, Johnson’s Real Ice Cream, and Swan Cleaners are the first three new tenants to sign leases for The Shops at Worthington Place. Other businesses in negotiations include an Italian restaurant, a dental clinic, an outdoor gear store, a toy store, a full-service salon, and a bridal salon, according to a master lease plan distributed by Cassidy Turley, leasing partner for the mall. Panera is a popular casual dining restaurant with 19 locations in central Ohio. Johnson’s has been a landmark in Bexley for 60 years. There is also a Johnson’s in New Albany. Swan, which was the first store to sign a lease at the original Worthington Square Shopping Center in the 1970s, will return. Both Johnson’s and Swan will be located in the northern part of Worthington Place, which will no longer be enclosed, according to renovation plans. More tenant announcements can be expected within the next six weeks, mall developers said. Current tenant Talbot’s is expanding, and will have and entrance at the south end of the center. It will be the largest Talbot’s in Ohio.
By CANDY BROOKS
center, where Talbot’s is ex-
ThisWeek Community Newspapers panding to become the largest
With a bit of perspiration and a lot of inspiration, the “reinvention” of Worthington’s only mall officially got started on July 28. “We have a vision, we have the expertise to pull this off,” said Bill Morris who, along with Tom Carter, plans to turn the struggling Worthington Square into The Shops at Worthington Place. About 80 community leaders and people working on the redevelopment gathered at the center on the sweltering July morning for a ceremonial By Adam Cairns/ThisWeek groundbreaking. Already construction is evTom Carter, owner of The Shops at Worthington Place, discusses the $10-million renovation at the former Worthington Square Mall during a groundbreaking ceremony July 28. ident at the south end of the
of the chain’s Ohio stores. Other indoor work will be done in time for the holidays in November, and the complete renovation should be complete by next June, Carter said. “A year from now you’re going to see a big difference here and you’re going to be pleased with what you see,” he said. Among the changes will be the return to an outdoor mall at the north end of the center; new entryways on the south, east, and northeast sides; outdoor and indoor fireplaces; more comfortable seating inSee SHOPS, page A2
City weighs pros, cons of electronic message signs By CANDY BROOKS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Bike racers roll by (Above) Riders in the pro division speed through Worthington Estates during the Worthington Criterium on July 29. (At right) Sarah Tyler holds up the remaining lap count as riders pass by during the bike race. Watch the slideshow from the event online at www.ThisWeekNews.com. Photos by Chris Parker/ThisWeek
A closer look
Will an electronic message sign flash the words “Welcome to Ye Olde Village Green” someday? Probably not. But the time has come to decide if electronic message signs are appropriate any place in the city. The first public discussion took place at the Municipal Planning Commission on July 28. The commission was split on the issue, but agreed to continue discussing a proposed code amendment to permit electronic messages. Such signs are common outside of Worthington. Worthington Kilbourne High School has one, as do high schools in other suburban communities. The signs typically have a space for electronic messages announcing events or, at schools, congratulating student achievements. The proposed Worthington amendment would permit such signs on the five Worthington properties that are 25 acres or larger, which includes Thomas Worthington High School. Other properties of more than 25 acres are the Worthington Community Center, Diamond Innovations, the United Methodist Children’s Home, and the Ohio State
The proposed Worthington amendment would permit such signs on the five Worthington properties that are 25 acres or larger, which includes Thomas Worthington High School.
University Medical Center/Harding Hospital site. Representatives of the school, the Architectural Review Board, the McConnell Arts Center (MAC), and the city have been meeting to discuss details of a sign or signs which might be erected in front of the school. The sign would announce MAC events as well as school news. Size, display quality, messaging style and timing, and brightness would be addressed in an ordinance permitting electronic messaging signs. As proposed, electronic messages would be required to be turned off between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. But such a limit would not be enough for neighbors, said MPC member James Sauer. “I would feel sorry for those See ELECTRONIC, page A2
ARB tables signs for Huntington near Village Green By CANDY BROOKS ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Designers were sent back to the drawing board July 28 to find more traditional colors and materials and smaller sizes for proposed new signs at the Huntington, 800 High St. Architectural Review Board (ARB) members said they could not accept the bright colors and the larger size of the proposed signs at the bank, which is adjacent to the Village Green. The proposal was tabled.
The brick base of the current sign would be replaced with a dark gray aluminum cabinet with white letters. On the base was shown a 2-foot, 11-inch-high, 10foot-wide sign. The background color is said to be two shades of gray in the bank’s application, but appeared to be purple in slides shown at the July 25 meeting. There would also be a lime-green logo and white letters on the sign face. An awning over a walk-up ATM on the south side of the building was shown as curved with lighting shining through
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a green material. The city’s design guidelines call for traditional materials and colors compatible with the age, architecture, and colors of the building. Board member James Sauer said he found the signs to be “overwhelming.” “If the signs were smaller, I might be able to find the colors acceptable,” he said. The same colors but a different size and style were approved for the Huntington Bank at 6851 N. High St. There, the proposed freestanding sign
is 10 feet high and 2 feet, 6 inches wide, with Huntington in white letters vertically on the gray background with lime green logo. Gray paint will also be added to the front gable on the building. The ARB had no objections and unanimously approved the application. Also at the meeting, the ARB tabled a request for a 6-foot tall solid wood fence that would separate the yard of Marilyn Kling, 615 Hartford St., from that of Harvey and Jane Minton, 617 Hartford St. Harvey Minton, Worthington’s mayor,
objected to the fence plans. He wants to preserve the trees growing near the property line and said the fence would be out of character with the style of the Kling home. Kling said she needs the fence for privacy and safety. She said the Mintons have a large German Shepherd that is very territorial and aggressive and frightens her. She also complained about old cars parked in the Minton driveway and trash See SIGNS, page A2
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