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June 6, 2013
Long-vacant Altair tract
City to buy ‘last bit of key, prime ground’ City will pay $6.7 million for the land, and refund $9.5 million from a TIF that would have gone to the owners By JENNIFER NESBITT THISWEEKNEWS.COM The land south of Polaris Parkway between Cleveland Avenue and Africa Road has sat mostly vacant for more than a decade, as office and retail developments have sprung up around it on three sides. Westerville city leaders hope they can change that by purchasing the 67 acres known as Altair from the private developers who own it. “It’s really too valuable of land to let waves of development pass it up,” Westerville City Manager Dave Collinsworth said. “We believe it’s time for the city to play a more active role in this development.” To that end, Westerville City Council was to hear the first reading of three pieces of legislation Tuesday, June 4, to authorize the city to purchase the land for $6.7 million from Altair Realty Ltd./North Westerville Ltd. Jerome G. Solove, son of the late central Ohio developer Richard J. Solove, is listed in state records as the incorporator of both companies. The city also would refund $9.5 million in
to the landowners that it would have eventually owed for infrastructure improvements through an existing tax increment financing agreement. Over time, the city will see that money returned as the land is developed, Assistant City Manager Julie Colley said. Colley said it’s crucial for the city to take an active role because Westerville is being passed up for development opportunities. “Announcements are coming from other communities,” Colley said. “We have a good opportunity to capture that market that we’re currently losing.” A development plan for the Altair site has existed since 2001, Colley said. It was updated in 2005. Plans once included a multi-screen theater development and a hotel with space for convention meetings. But those subse-
Open for splashing Memorial Day weekend brought the reopening of Westerville’s pools for 2013 and last week’s hot weather poured in the crowds. Here, Maci Cumming, 1, of Westerville plays Saturday, June 1 in the Highlands Park Aquatic Center, 245 S. Spring Road. PAUL VERNON/THISWEEKNEWS
GROUND >> A3
Genoa police lose two leaders, gain new chief Retirements of chief, deputy chief will be effective July 31
The announcement from Police Chief Robert E. Taylor and Deputy Police Chief David A. Stout came Thursday, May 30 at a special David Stout By JENNIFER NESBITT meeting of the THISWEEKNEWS.COM township’s board of trustees. Genoa Township’s top police offiDuring the meeting, the trustees cials will retire from the force effec- decided that Steve Gammill, former tive July 31. interim police chief for the Colum-
bus Division of Police, will be hired as the township’s next police chief. Taylor has served as Genoa Township’s chief of police since Robert Taylor January 1998, upon his retirement as the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy of patrol. “Both Chief Taylor and Deputy
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Chief Stout have been invaluable to our community by elevating the police department to new levels of professionalism and excellence,” said Bar- Steve Gammill bara Lewis, chairwoman of the board of trustees. “We have all benefited from their strong commitment to the safety of our residents, businesses and visi-
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tors.” Township officials said that under Taylor’s leadership, the township has had one of the lowest crime rates for larger jurisdictions in Delaware County. During his tenure, Taylor created the township’s bicycle and motorcycle patrols and the Genoa Township Citizen Policy Advisory Board. Taylor also worked to earn accreditation for the department from the
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