City Sells Lots to Ohio Living Park Vista

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The city Board of Control sold seven lots Thursday to the company that operates Ohio Living Park Vista – land adjacent to properties it owns on the North Side.

Columbus-based Ohio Living, which last year changed its name from Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services, will pay $1,293.50 – or $1 per 100 square feet, as outlined in the city land bank’s policies – according to city documents.

“We are acquiring [the lots] to maintain them as we have done with other properties surrounding our campus in the past,” said Elizabeth Tabak, communications and media liaison for Ohio Living Park Vista, in an email.

“They want to control it and keep it maintained,” Bill D’Avignon, community development agency director, affirmed.

Tabak clarified that the land is not related to Ohio Living’s collaboration with National Church Residences, also in Columbus, on a proposed $6 million, 60-unit senior apartment complex near Ohio Living’s campus on Fifth Avenue.

National Living would develop, operate and manage the building while Ohio Living would provide various services to residents including skilled nursing, education and wellness programs.

The project is contingent on approval of low-income housing tax credits, D’Avignon said.

In March, National Church submitted its application to the Ohio Housing Finance Authority for the credits, said Amy Rosenthal, senior project leader in National Church’s development department.

National Church had expected to hear next month whether the tax credits would be approved but the state agency extended the deadline to submit applications to March from February originally, thereby moving back the announcement date as well. “We won’t find out in July until we were successful,” Rosenthal said.

In other business, the board of control approved severance of $14,212.32 for Sean McKinney, who stepped down as building and grounds commissioner last month. Last week, he announced he would run for mayor as an independent candidate.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.