The former St. Bartholomew Catholic Church property on Eighth Street will get a facelift and a new use under plans approved this week by the Columbus Board of Zoning Appeals. N
Nick Surak, vice president of the Woda Group, says the company plans to replace the school building on the lot with two apartment buildings. He said the 30 apartments will be for low-income residents.
The former church building itself will remain and be used for common space. Surak said part of the goal is to provide an affordable place for artists to live and space for them to work.
Nick Surak on artist residences
Some change are planned for the former church building
Surak also said that the company would be keeping most of the stained glass in the former church building.
Two residents spoke at the hearing and were largely in favor of the project. One did ask that the company change the proposed “St. Bartholomew” name of the apartments, because of the sacred nature of that name.
Ryan Lauer, who lives behind the building, said he was in favor of the project but did have concerns about parking and traffic flow in the neighborhood.
The Board of Zoning Appeals approved two variance requests to let the project move forward including allow the new buildings to sit closer to the street than normally allowed and to waive some of the parking space requirements.