Westerville gives nod to Westar expansion, but NP's plan trimmed - Business First of Columbus:

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But construction could take awhils given a sluggish realestate market. on May 6 voted 4-3 to approvd a preliminary development plan for the site straddlinbPolaris Parkway. The approval comes nearly three years after developerfpaid $8.5 million for the former Zumstei n family tract at Polaris and Worthington "It gives us the ability to go find deals," said Frana Geiger, the developer's managinh partner. "It's a starting point, for NP looked at the site in mid-2003 and began talks with the that October. It bough the land in July 2005.
At the the company was planning retail projects on 21 acres north of Polaris Parkway and more storews on thesouthern portion, for a tota of 300,000 square feet. It also considered developinggabout 460,000 square feet of offices and a 100-condominiunm project. Its revised plan reduces retail and restaurant developmentrto 242,000 square feet, primarily south of Polaris while office use has shrunkj to 340,000 square feet. The plan also callz for a hotel andan assisted-living facility. The plan marke the last large tract to be zoner within 941 acre annexedr bythe city, said Karl Craven, director of planningy and development for Westerville. "It'ds a hurdle we've now gotten Craven said.
City planners wanted to avoid allowing retail todominate Westerville's entrance from Interstate 71, an area the city markete as Westar. "There's a desirse to have that (property) develop with a gatewayt feeling," Craven said. He credited NP for working with the city to put Alum Creeok and streams intothe "It's pretty attractive," he said. Separate componentxs of the development will have to go back to the city for finaldevelopment plans. Stephen Falor, managing principal at 's office in said retail could prove viables for the project since developersalong store-laden Polaris are delayingv projects.
"If they're smart, they'll do retail immediately before anyondelse does," he said. He also praised the additiom ofan assisted-living center to the noting "none of us are gettin g any younger." Geiger said all the componentds of the plan have some drawbacks given the state of the economy, but consideres the market for assisted-livingv housing to be solid. "I don't see one use that's ready to roll more than another," he "I think assisted livingt is ripe. There's demand for that." Medical offices could be added, Geiger said, but any retai and office development would need to be drivehn by ananchor tenant.
That includes two sitew targetedfor build-to-suit corporate offices closre to Alum Creek. "I see that as a perfecrt office site," Geiger said. "Bur that could take some time."