Hello Worthington! Here's your recap of what happened at June 11's Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission meeting. Most of the evening's applications were for individual homes, so below are the commercial items and the bigger-picture news that affect the wider community. For those interested in the full details, we've included links to longer articles where appropriate.
A Golf-Simulator Lounge Is Coming to North High Street
A new business called The Birdie House is moving into the storefront at 5600 N. High Street that most recently housed the Worthington thrift store, and the board approved its signage. It's an indoor golf-simulator lounge with five simulator bays and a bar, and the business lists a Summer 2026 opening. The barbershop on the corner remains; the new space runs the depth of the building and wraps around behind it.
The board approved both proposed signs, including a halo-lit storefront sign, but one of them, a projection sign on the building's north side, still needs a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals before it can go up. Asked whether the concept is a franchise, the owners, who are Worthington residents, said it is their own, with plans to grow it here before expanding elsewhere in the Columbus area.
Two Major Developments on the June 25 Agenda
City staff told the board its next meeting will be a busy one, with two major development items. Elford's proposed 246-unit apartment development on part of the Boundless campus, the former Harding Hospital site, returns for a vote that, if approved, would send it on to City Council for final review. Roughly 30% of the units (at least 74) would be reserved as workforce housing at 80% of area median income for 10 years; the city's project page carries the current plans and traffic study.
On the same night, the developer Crawford Hoying will present its plan to redevelop several West Wilson Bridge Road office buildings into a walkable, mixed-use neighborhood; this is a first look only, with no vote scheduled. Staff expect a large turnout: overflow seating will be set up upstairs, and speakers will be limited to three minutes each.
Stay connected to what's happening in Worthington, Ohio.
In Other News
- New property values are arriving in the mail. Councilmember Amy Lloyd shared an update from the Franklin County Auditor's Office: under this year's triennial update, new property values are being mailed to owners. Residents can look up their tentative value and an estimate of the resulting property taxes through the county's Know Your Home Value tool, and the auditor's office plans both in-person and online sessions for questions. For a fuller explanation of what the new values mean and the options available if you disagree with yours, see our coverage: New Property Values Are Coming in the Mail.
Upcoming Dates
- Thursday, June 25 — Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission meeting. Returning items: the Elford/Boundless workforce-housing proposal (up for a vote) and Crawford Hoying's first-look presentation on its West Wilson Bridge Road plan. Overflow seating upstairs; speakers limited to three minutes. Worthington Municipal Building, 6550 N. High Street.
- Monday, July 6 — Joint Municipal Planning Commission and City Council work session on the Worthington Together comprehensive plan, with a presentation from consultant Planning Next. Not open for public comment, but live-streamed.
Thanks for reading this summary of the Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission meeting. You can watch the original full video here
Note: This recap focuses on commercial and institutional projects that affect the broader community. Individual homeowner applications, while important to those involved, are not included in this community newsletter.