COLUMBUS MONTHLY SUBURBAN SECT Alwand-Vahan \ - GRIGORI DESIGNER JEWELRY, DIAMONDS & MORE Corner of Morse & Cherry 5oLLom Roads Gahanna/New Albany (614) 428-6522 We sell diamonds for Leaders in offering Central Ohio 20% less than anyone in award-winning national and Central Ohio, guaranteed! international designers first. PASQUALE BRUNI • YURI ICHIHASHI • PAZIA • ROSEN BLOCK • DIANA CLASSICS • SAMUEL B • VIVIAN ALEXANDER S.T. DUPONT • SIMON LINDENMAN • BERGIO • FREDERIC DUCLOS • PAJ • GIOAL • PORSCHE DESIGN • JOSEPH MAMANNE • • Our VISIOil is renewed 11 iaordmriiary Welcome to Upper Arlington Desitre§u<gje§j : William J. Schaefer III Brenda Schwandt JACK SE1BERT Virginia Barney GOLDJAMTtl JEWELER. CERTIf IED GEMOLOGIJT AMERICAN QEAA JOC1ETY pper Arlington has its eyes firmly And our active senior population enjoys set on the future. While recogniz­ a variety of recreational, educational 22 years in Upper Arlington L ing and preserving the many cher­ and wellness programs at the city's sen­ with AGS Accredited Gem ished qualities that define our city, com­ ior center. Lab and Certified Gemologist munity leaders have laid the groundwork Our public schools, second to none, Appraisers on staff. to reaffirm our success in the coming are often cited as the reason that attracted decades. Now, more than ever, the com­ families to this community. Upper Arling­ 1741 West Lane Avenue munity is abuzz with anticipation for the ton High School was recently designated 486-4653 • 1-800-486-1315 exciting developments ahead. Central Ohio's best suburban high school www.jackseibert.com Upper Arlington welcomed its new by Columbus Monthly magazine. The en­ /VtPjoS Ideal Cut Diamonds lor master plan in March 2001, following tire school district's list of awards and three years of extensive community par­ achievements sets a standard that other ticipation; now work is underway to districts can only aspire to. Upper Arling­ bring the vision to life. Our renewed vi­ ton residents are proud of and remain sion seeks to preserve and enhance the committed to supporting our schools, un­ city's neighborhoods and parks, to contin­ derstanding the positive dividends our ue to provide a range of housing options community enjoys from maintaining the A reminder of all for people of all ages, to expand commu­ standard of excellence. nity facilities and recreational opportuni­ Businesses can call upon an extensive there is to be /'•- ties, to maintain our excellent level of city list of services and benefits offered by the 1:1 services and to provide a safe and conven­ Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Com­ ient transportation network. To this end, merce. With membership more than 500- thankful for... L the master plan identifies the importance businesses-strong, the chamber presents a of a strong, diverse economy and seeks to busy schedule of networking opportuni­ \ encourage the redevelopment of our ma­ ties, educational presentations and events This ancient Chinese I, jor commercial areas into vibrant, mixed- that enable members to showcase their use developments that combine housing, businesses to each other and the commu­ symbol, "Blessings," is retail, business and civic uses. nity as a whole. beautifully handcrafted in There is much to enjoy and be proud We hope you enjoy reading about our rich .sterling silver and ^ of in Upper Arlington today. The city's community in this special section of draped on a „,. parks offer a myriad of facilities, from na­ Columbus Monthly. We enjoy living and handsome -•/& ture trails to picnic areas, shelter houses working here, and we invite you to join sterling to playgrounds. Public swimming pools, us as we renew the vision for Upper Ar­ sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, soc­ lington. silver cer fields and ball diamonds provide plen­ chain. ty of athletic opportunities. cure about the With diverse special interest and edu­ Virginia Barney gift of "Blessings." cational programs offered year-round, City manager from arts and crafts to language classes, City of Upper Arlington dance lessons to healthy cooking tips, the programs offered by the city's Life- William J. Schaefer III Long Learning and Leisure division offer Superintendent something for everyone. Special events Upper Arlington City Schools such as the city's Labor Day Arts Festi­ val, the Civic Association's Fourth of Ju­ Brenda Schwandt ly Celebration and the Chamber of President Commerce's Taste of UA add unique fla­ Upper Arlington Area A UNIQUE HEADWARE COMPANY vor to the annual calendar of activities. Chamber of Commerce 1987 Guilford Rd. • Upper Arlington 4 3221 (614)486-9116 COVER WATERCOLOR BY NED MOORE UA Suburban Section . D EC EM B F. R 2 0 0 1 63 ARLINGTON I Economy "I think now the timing is right to go in and make something very positive for the community," says Bob Long of Long & Wilcox LLC, currently renovating a Kingsdale-area office building to accommodate four to six tenants. smart By Carol Rich Guided by a master plan that was three years in the making, Upper Arlington is targeting five areas for commercial development. he two-story brick office building, Long echoes the expectations in Upper built in the 1960s and tucked Arlington's comprehensive master plan, a away next to a coffee shop, is un­ document developed through an inten­ dergoing a transformation. With new, sive, nearly three-year process. The mas­ OUtsized windows and redone interiors, ter plan commits the city to a new kind of the building projects a kind of "industrial commercial growth, and UA officials chic" more typical of the Arena District have painstakingly created guidelines that than of suburban Upper Arlington. But are uniquely tailored to the plan. the refurbished facility is in UA, and the Upper Arlington intends to revitalize new businesses it will soon house repre- its economic development—and magnify its commercial tax base—through a Partners Bob Long .uu) Randy Wilcox strategy that emphasizes attracting and of 1 Oflg ex Wilcox LLC" are redoing the keeping a mix of high-quality jobs and Kingsdale-area office building. When businesses. The city's commitment is evi­ complete, the building will offer cus­ dent in the land use and economic goals tomized space for four to six tenants. "I presented in the master plan. Redevelop­ think now the timing is right to go in and ment and reinvestment are key. make something \cr\ positive for the Without heavy industry or large com­ community," says Long. "1 just think mercial areas to provide a hefty tax base. Kingsdale is a wonderful opportunity." Upper Arlington must work both intelli- .111 Section • 1)1(1X1 I'.l R 2 (Hi gently and creatively to reach decisions that make the best fiscal sense. The chal­ lenge is to support existing businesses while encouraging commercial growth that complements both those businesses and the community's predominantly resi­ dential character. "We believe that the right mix is some combination of office, retail, civic and residential," says Patty Dalton, Upper Arlington's economic development direc­ tor. Key to achieving that mix will be the creation through redevelopment of pe­ destrian-friendly areas that offer a range of uses. Upper Arlington is realistic about its limitations. "We're probably going to at­ tract smaller business; we're not going to attract 500- or 600- or 1,000-person of­ fices," Dalton says. "We don't have the space or the visibility." The city would like to add neighborhood businesses— everything from dry cleaners to insur­ ance agents. There's also special emphasis on draw­ ing professionals such as doctors and lawyers. Dalton sees Upper Arlington at­ tracting a range of professionals, includ­ ing those who already live in UA and would be happy to work there as well—if the city had appropriate, accessible office space for them to lease or buy. Ninety-nine percent In a sense, Upper Arlington has always relied on downtown Columbus as its own downtown. Each weekday thou­ sands of executives, professionals and managers who live in UA make the easy commute to and from their offices in the heart of the city. Others make the even easier commute across the Olentangy Upper Arlington economic development River to offices and research labs at Ohio director Patty Dalton, left, and UA city Balancing the city's inherent limita­ State University, Battelle or Chemical manager Virginia Barney, reviewing tions, however, are solid pluses that Abstracts. Still others fan out to the high- development plans at City Hall, believe make Upper Arlington a desirable area density nodes of office and commercial the city needs incremental development, for businesses to locate. "We're smack development that have sprung up around with concentrations in office, retail, civic dab in the middle of a wonderful residen­ and residential. the 1-270 outerbelt in recent years. tial community," says Dalton. "We're But few Upper Arlington residents five minutes from downtown." Residen­ work where they live. That's because, of tial property values are among the the city's approximately 6,300 acres, 99 strongest in Ohio. In 1999, UA homes percent have been developed, and ap­ says that pretty much sums up what city had an average appreciation of 6.9 per­ proximately 95 percent of the land is res­ planners would like Upper Arlington's cent. Upper Arlington is also known for idential. City planners must try to get as commercial areas—particularly Kings- highly rated schools and blue-ribbon city much return as they can out of the re­ dale—to become: good spots that will at­ services. maining commercial acreage. tract higher concentrations of tax-paying Upper Arlington's proximity to Ohio "The goal is to be intensifying land enterprises and tax-paying employees. State and Battelle gives the community use in those areas," says Dalton.