Senior living facility to replace vacant Presbyterian church on Livingston Avenue – The Columbus Dispatch

The longtime site of the Brookwood Presbyterian Church on East Livingston Avenue on Columbus’ Near East Side will soon become home to a 103-unit independent senior living facility.

Now that the Franklin County Hospital Commission has approved $27 million in bond financing, plans are underway to construct the facility with one- and-two-bedroom rental units at 2685 E. Livingston Ave. in Columbus’ Berwick neighborhood near Bexley.

When it is likely opens in fall 2023, Traditions at Brookwood will be managed by National Church Residences, one of the country’s largest nonprofit owners and operators of senior affordable housing, with campuses in 25 states.

Traditions at Brookwood will be a mixed-income facility for those age 55 and older, with 26 affordable housing units and 77 market-rate units.

“There’s an amazing opportunity for the residents of Berwick and Bexley and the surrounding community to stay close to where they’ve lived all these years,” said Melanie Wollenberg, director of senior housing development for National Church Residences, which has its headquarters in Upper Arlington.

The Brookwood Presbyterian Church, which has been located at the site for decades, is expected to be demolished before the end of the year so construction can begin. But National Church Residences plans to save and incorporate into the facility several architectural features of the church — including the cross from its chapel and stained glass windows — to pay homage to its long history within the community, Wollenberg said.

“We want to embrace the community in these projects and what the church represented in the community,” Wollenberg said. “We don’t want to lose that heritage; we want to honor it.” 

Conversations to sell the property began about three years ago, when church members began worshipping at Unity Presbyterian Church in Reynoldsburg, said Bruce Black, the president of the Berwick Civic Association.

Community leaders, including Black, began working with National Church Residences for the organization to acquire the property and formulate a proposal for the senior living facility. 

Because the neighborhoods surrounding the Near East Side are comprised of many aging residents, Black said the facility will offer them a means to continue living independently without having to leave the area.

“Putting this type of housing facility up in the neighborhood makes it convenient for people who are looking for other options,” Black said. “Any time you’re talking about housing that will facilitate seniors, I think it benefits not only our residents here in Berwick but any other senior who’s able to get into these units when they open.”

On Sept. 29, the project proposal went before the Franklin County Hospital Commission, which administers both tax-exempt and general obligation bonds for the construction of healthcare facilities and also oversees the construction and renovations of facilities providing healthcare services.

The bonds the commission issued allowed National Church Residences to purchase the site for more than $1 million, and will eventually fund the demolition of existing buildings at the location, including the church, as well as the construction and furnishing of Traditions at Brookwood.

National Church Residences will finance the remainder of the project, which is expected to total more than $30 million, Wollenberg said. The project also received a 15-year tax abatement from the city of Columbus, according to an executive summary of the bond proposal.

Though rent prices have not been set, the monthly fee will include utilities, housekeeping services, phone, cable and Wi-Fi, and the variety of amenities and communal events available to residents. Among those amenities will be a fitness center, bistro dining, a library, a beauty salon and an outdoor terrace with a firepit and a courtyard.

Nearly one acre of the land was donated to the city of Columbus for a public park, which Wollenberg expects will be constructed and open within a year.

Traditions at Brookwood will also be a seven-minute walk south of the Brownlee Circle Park, and will be located near other community centers such as the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus.

The Livingston Avenue corridor between Nelson and James roads is among the areas Columbus code enforcement officers will be targeting due to a high volume of complaints, crime, and vacant houses. Because the corridor is also among the areas identified in the city’s Vision Zero Initiative with the highest likelihood of traffic fatalities, it’s slated for engineering, safety and streetscape improvements to slow traffic, said Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler.

Kessler said senior housing will be a needed addition to the rapidly improving corridor.

“Having something new created to provide more options not just to our community, but the surrounding community, is really important,” Kessler said. “We hope our community also has something to offer to residents of the space.”

Instead of hosting a groundbreaking ceremony, National Church Residents donated money to the Berwick Civic Association to be used for a philanthropic initiative in the community. Greg Lee, vice president of the civic association, praised the organization for how much it has already invested in the community.

“Their team built a neighborly relationship with the people of Berwick, modified both their plans and logistics based on community concerns, and maintained open lines of communication with us at every step,” said Lee, who also is a member of the Mid-East Area Commission representing Berwick. “As Livingston Avenue changes, we remain optimistic about how (the project) will benefit Berwick and the Near East Side.”

Anyone interested in inquiring about living at Traditions at Brookwood can call 866-581-7273.

Eric Lagatta is a reporter at the Columbus Dispatch covering public safety, breaking news and social justice issues. Reach him at elagatta@dispatch.com. Follow him on Twitter @EricLagatta