Columbus Dispatch: AIDS group plans to build pharmacy, thrift store on N. High [near the Short North]

This image was taken from their press release

 

The story is here

Their press release is here

A Los Angeles-based AIDS organization plans to bring its unique mix of advocacy, health care and nonprofit business operations to a long-vacant lot on the southern border of the University District.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which bills itself as the largest global AIDS organization, said construction will begin soon on a building that is to house an Out of the Closet Thrift Store, AHF Pharmacy and HIV-testing site at the northeast corner of N. High Street and E. 5th Avenue.

The group also plans an AHF Healthcare Center in a medical office near Mount Carmel West hospital that could accommodate an initial caseload of 600 patients, said Adam Ouderkirk, regional director for the foundation.

“We take HIV patients regardless of ability to pay, whether you have a Cadillac (health-insurance) plan or no plan,” he said.

Both the thrift store and the pharmacy will be nonprofit ventures that generate money for the mission.
“It’s a model that’s worked in different parts of the country, and we think it will be successful in Columbus,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Ouderkirk said the foundation just closed on the property at 1230 N. High St. He declined to discuss the price, but according to the Franklin County auditor’s website, the land sold for $1.6 million on Dec. 22.

Local advocates were mixed in their reactions. While additional community resources are welcome, they all said, one group said the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has done little to collaborate.

“We knew nothing about the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s intent until three weeks ago,” said Bill Hardy, president and CEO of the AIDS Resource Center Ohio. “To me, there was not adequate groundwork.”
Hardy said the resource center, which merged earlier this year with the Columbus AIDS Task Force, also has been discussing plans for a health-care center and pharmacy.

“Part of the consolidation was to expand services,” he said.

Hardy and the resource center are among many statewide AIDS advocates who disagreed with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s recent successful fight to stop Ohio from changing some of the rules governing the Ohio HIV Drug Assistance Program, which is the state’s version of the federal Ryan White Act.

State officials and local AIDS organizations say the changes would have kicked in only in the event of a waiting list — there isn’t one now — allowing for the use of a priority system so that the sickest people would be served first.

A Franklin County judge, however, agreed with three patients who filed a lawsuit saying the new rules could affect access to treatment. The foundation backed the patients.

A preliminary injunction blocking the new rules was issued this month, and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation hailed it as a victory. Weinstein said Ohio has no business planning for a “Sophie’s choice” in HIV treatment.
He also said there is plenty of room for new services in Columbus.
“Unfortunately, there is no shortage of patients to go around,” Weinstein said. “We are bringing our own resources to bear.”

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that only 28 percent of Americans living with HIV have the virus under control with proper medication and treatment, he said.

The foundation’s presence likely will make a big difference in the city, said Karla Rothan, executive director of Stonewall Columbus. Stonewall’s community center and offices are at 1160 N. High St., near the site that the foundation will develop.

The thrift store and pharmacy are “an innovative way of doing nonprofit work,” Rothan said. “I’m glad they chose to be our neighbor. I think it’s going to enhance services.”

rprice@dispatch.com

Home sales remain elevated in Central Ohio

(Dec. 21, 2011) November marks the fifth consecutive month of increased home sales in

central Ohio this year after the first half of the year struggled to keep up with increased sales

from 2010 due to the home buyer tax credits. According to the Columbus Board of

REALTORS®, 1,406 homes sold in November which is seven percent more than the previous

year.

Additionally, the number of residential homes scheduled to close was up over 37 percent,

from 1,341 last year to 1,843 last month (November 2011).

“We’re finding that sellers recognize the challenges of today’s market and are realistically

pricing their homes to sell,” says Rick Benjamin, 2011 President of the Columbus Board of

REALTORS®. “Buyers are responding well to the pricing and, of course, the record low

interest rates. It’s still a great time to buy a home.”

Homes in central Ohio this year have sold for an average of $157,032, down 2.5 percent from

the average sale price in 2010, but up over five percent from the average sale price in the first

quarter of 2011. The average price of a home sold in November was $153,673, up 3.1 percent

from the previous month ($149,082).

The number of homes listed for sale last month (1,949) is 20 percent less than listings added

to the market in November 2010 (2,439). The total inventory of homes available for sale in

central Ohio was 12,675 at the end of November, which is down 27.5 percent from one year

ago.

As a result, the month’s supply, a measure of inventory that estimates how many months it

would take to sell the entire home inventory, fell 28.5 percent to 7.4, down from 10.3 last

year.

“A healthy months supply for our market would be around 6.5. So the decrease in inventory

is a positive sign of market recovery,” adds Benjamin. “Plus, based on the concept of supply

and demand, when we have too many homes on the market, homes are more likely to sell for

less.”

Click here to view the November sortable housing market report by area.
Click here to view the entire central Ohio Local Market Update.

The Columbus Board of REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service (MLS) serves all of Franklin,

Delaware, Fayette, Licking, Madison, Morrow, Pickaway and Union Counties and parts of

Athens, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Fairfield, Hocking, Knox, Logan, Marion, Muskingum,

Perry and Ross Counties.

For more information about the central Ohio housing market, visit

ColumbusRealtors.com/stats
To view commercial properties for sale or lease in central Ohio, visit COCIE.org.
To view residential properties for sale, visit www.terrypenrod.com.

Italian Village IN, Victorian Village OUT of new "Columbus" Congressional District

Click on the map to see other areas of Central Ohio and the State.

Italian Village and the Dennison Place "Circles" will be in the new District 3 

Victorian Village will be in District 15

(Currently held by Congressman Steve Stiver)  

 

Columbus Underground: The Hubbard Apartments to Rise Over The Short North

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The northeast corner of Hubbard Avenue and High Street has been one of the most widely discussed plots of land here on Columbus Underground over the past five years. Originally proposed in 2006 as the home of the failed Ibiza condo development, the site is going through a change of ownership where local development firms Elford and Wagenbrenner are jointly working on a revised plan for the neighborhood. The Hubbard will be a five-story mixed-use apartment building with ground-floor retail and a public parking garage located in the back.

For more details on the project, we spoke recently with Mark Wagenbrenner, President of Wagenbrenner Development, and Mike Fitzpatrick, President of Elford Development, Ltd.  Click here for more

Business First: Two Columbus suburbs among Midwest's best quality of life areas

The story is here along with a searchable database

Business First by G. Scott Thomas
Date: Thursday, December 8, 2011, 2:23pm EST - 
Last Modified: Thursday, December 8, 2011, 2:25pm EST


Chicago is not only the economic hub of the Midwest, but it also sets the regional standard for quality of life.

On Numbers analyzed 955 Midwestern communities, searching for the places offering the most favorable living conditions. Four Chicago suburbs have taken the top four slots.

Two Columbus suburbs – No. 5 Powell and No. 9 Dublin – also made the top 10 list. Powell's median household income of $126,510 and $331,900 median house value helped it to its high ranking. In Dublin, the median household income is $114,560, and its median house value is $327,200.

Topping the ranking is Winnetka, an affluent village on Lake Michigan's North Shore. Winnetka's $201,650 median household income is the highest in the Midwest, as is the 87.4 percent of adults who hold bachelor's degrees in the area.

On Numbers used a 20-part formula to find Midwestern communities that enjoy healthy economies, light traffic, moderate costs of living, impressive housing stocks and strong educational systems. (Click here for the complete methodology.)

The full quality-of-life rankings for the Midwest are available in the following database. Use the tab to find a single state, or click Search to view the whole list.

On Numbers has already released quality-of-life rankings for the East, South and West. Top-to-bottom national standings will be released Friday.

---

Italian Village Saveway Mart on Summit Might Lose Liquor License

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Last night the Columbus City Council objected to the liquor license renewal for the Saveway Mart at Summit and Third in Italian Village.

From Ch 4:  "While council can object to the permits, it doesn't have the final say. 
In fact, that's up to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, which will hold hearings early next year.

According to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, out of the 13 hearings held last year for Columbus businesses, just two objections were overruled."




Saveway Liquor Permit Objection

Columbus Dispatch: Ibiza bankruptcy to repay some of money owed

The story is here

The developers of the proposed Ibiza condominium project in the Short North have filed a plan in bankruptcy court to repay investors.

Under the plan, the main creditor, Columbus-based Finance Fund, would receive $3.6 million of the $5.3 million it is owed, assuming the property at High Street and Hubbard Avenue is sold.

In addition, 52 individuals who placed deposits on condominiums in the building would receive up to $2,600 each. They would receive additional payments if the building is sold.

According to the filing, 75 of the 135 units planned in the complex were pre-sold, with deposits totaling $1.16 million, before developers announced that the complex would not be built. The filing does not address why only 52 buyers are provided for in the reorganization. Apex’s attorney did not return a call seeking comment.

Business First: Wagenbrenner raises $4.5M from investors for Jeffrey Place bid, eschewing banks

The story is here

Business First by Brian R. Ball, Staff reporter  

Date: Thursday, December 1, 2011, 2:24pm EST

The Wagenbrenner Development Inc. affiliate that has started taking over the stalled Jeffrey Place project in Italian Village has secured investors backing the first phase.

Jeffrey New Day LLC in early November revealed its interest in the property when it closed on nearly 6 acres along East First Avenue. At the same time, it filed a foreclosure lawsuit against the owner of an adjacent 23 acres after buying a mortgage that had financed the land’s acquisition in late 2000.

Wagenbrenner President Mark Wagenbrenner said he expects to file a plan for a multifamily project on the 6 acres in December or January.

The developer has taken a cautious financial strategy with that initial foray into the Jeffrey Place redevelopment. Jeffrey New Day revealed in a Securities and Exchange Commission    Securities and Exchange Commission Latest from The Business Journals West Palm Beach firm named in stock bustAnthem Healthcare Intelligence raises .9 millionLimited giving back about 0M in special dividend Follow this company filing this month that it had raised $4.5 million from undisclosed investors.

“What it really comes down to is the availability of capital,” Wagenbrenner said, noting that raising the money from investors means he didn’t have to put a mortgage on the property.

“It’s money to get us through expenses,” Wagenbrenner said of the investment’s purpose. “Finally, we are in a position to move the site forward.”

Terry Penrod, Real Living HER Realtor, Reaches Charitable Giving Milestone

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jim Stevenson
Real Living HER
JimStevenson@RealLiving.com
(614) 273-6076

Real Living HER Realtor Terry Penrod Reaches Charitable Giving Milestone

COLUMBUS, Ohio (November 30, 2011) — Real Living HER is proud to congratulate Real Living Mortgage and Realtor Terry Penrod for generating $10,000 in donations to local charities.

Through the Sharing Advantage Program from Real Living Mortgage and Wells Fargo, Terry’s clients were able to support local 501(c) (3) organizations at no cost to them. A select few of the charities have been: Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society, Victorian Village Society, St. John’s High School, Stonewall Columbus, Equality Ohio Education Fund and various local churches. Simply by Terry communicating the program and his clients designating the charity, Real Living Mortgage was able to make a $300 donation at the time of a closing.

“I always look forward to helping people understand the home buying process. There is so much to know and I love helping people find their dream home,” said Terry Penrod. “I have really enjoyed letting people know they can also do good in the community through Sharing Advantage.”

“This is an innovative program that is offered nationwide, but Terry has really embraced it and his clients’ charities have greatly benefited,” said June Zepp, Home Mortgage Consultant, Real Living Mortgage.

If anyone is interested in getting involved with the Sharing Advantage Program please contact Terry Penrod at 614-273-8548, terry.penrod@RealLiving.com or www.terrypenrod.com

About HER Real Living Inc.

Real Living HER, based in Columbus, Ohio, is a full-service real estate company with more than 700 agents and 45 offices throughout Central Ohio. HER Realtors was established in 1956 and has been the dominant full service brokerage throughout the area since 1964. Real Living HER offers its consumers services that include residential & commercial real estate sales, property management and rental services, mortgage, title, warranty, and other home-related, lifestyle services. HER Realtors is a member of the Real Living franchise system, owned by Brookfield Real Estate, a leading provider of real estate services nationally & internationally, including one of the world’s leading global relocation companies. Real Living was named one of the best new franchises by Entrepreneur magazine, winner of the Inman Innovator Award, and most promising new national brand by the Swanepoel TRENDS Report. www.HERRealtors.com. All first mortgage products are provided by Real Living Mortgage, LLC. Real Living Mortgage, LLC may not be available in your area. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. ©2011 Real Living Mortgage, LLC. All Rights Reserved. NMLSR ID 484734

 

USA Today: Home prices drop in September, reversing months of gains

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Home prices drop in September, reversing months of gains

By DEREK KRAVITZ, Associated Press

WASHINGTON – U.S. home prices are falling again in most major cities after posting small gains in the summer and spring. The report suggests the troubled housing market remains weak and won't recover any time soon.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index released Tuesday showed prices dropped in September from August in 17 of 20 cities tracked. That was the first decline after five straight months where at least half the cities in the survey showed monthly gains.

A separate index for the July-September quarter shows prices were mostly unchanged from the previous quarter.

Many Americans are reluctant to buy a home more than two years after the recession officially ended. High unemployment, weak job growth and falling home prices have deterred many would-be buyers. Even the lowest mortgage rates in history haven't been enough to lift sales.

David M. Blitzer, chairman of S&P's index committee, said that while the steep price declines seen between 2007 and 2009 appear to be over, home prices are down from the same time last year and do not show signs of easing.

"Any chance for a sustained recovery will probably need a stronger economy," Blitzer said.

The largest monthly price declines were in Atlanta, San Francisco and Tampa. And prices in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix fell to their lowest points since the housing crisis began four years ago. Blitzer called the new lows reached in those three cities a "bit disturbing."

New York, Portland, Ore., and Washington were the only cities to show monthly price increases in September.

A majority of the cities tracked by the survey posted modest price increases from April through August, the peak buying months. The monthly changes are not adjusted for seasonal factors.

Even with the gains, home prices were down in all but two major cities in September from the same month one year ago.

Sales of previously occupied home sales are on pace to match last year's dismal figures — the worst in 13 years. Sales of new homes are shaping up to be the worst since the government began keeping records a half century ago.

Some people can't qualify for loans or meet higher down payment requirements. Many with good credit and stable jobs are holding off because they fear that home prices will keep falling.

"Despite record high affordability of real estate, the psychology of home buyers is still being weighed down by economic uncertainty, keeping them on the fence when it comes to buying homes," said Stan Humphries, chief economist at Zillow.com, which measures home values.

Atlanta has been especially hard hit in the past year. Prices there dropped nearly 6% in September and have fallen nearly 10% over the past 12 months.

Since the fall of 2008, one out of every four sales in Atlanta has been a foreclosure, an auction or a bank sale.

Many homes there were built during the housing boom. The city has also been confronted by high unemployment. In September, the unemployment rate was 10.3%— more than a point higher than the national average.

The Case Shiller index covers half of all U.S. homes. It measures prices compared with those in January 2000 and creates a three-month moving average. The September data is the latest available.

Prices are certain to fall again once banks resume millions of foreclosures that have been delayed because of a yearlong government investigation into mortgage lending practices.

Home prices had stabilized in coastal cities the past six months, helped by a rush of spring buyers and investors. But this year, home prices in many cities, including Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Tampa, have reached their lowest points since the housing bust more than four years ago.

Foreclosures and short sales — when a lender accepts less for a home than what is owed on a mortgage — are selling at an average discount of 20%.

Home prices

Metro area	Index Sept. 2011	Chg. from Aug.	Chg. from Sept. 2010
Atlanta	95.99	-5.9%	-9.8%
Boston	154.39	-0.8%	-1.2%
Charlotte	112.43	-0.9%	-2.6%
Chicago	118.49	-0.8%	-5.0%
Cleveland	100.58	-1.2%	-3.1%
Dallas	116.54	-0.6%	-0.8%
Denver	125.44	-0.8%	-1.5%
Detroit	73.17	-0.5%	3.7%
Las Vegas	93.8	-1.4%	-7.3%
L.A.	168	-0.8%	-4.2%
Miami	139.83	-0.7%	-4.0%
Minneapolis	114.65	-0.9%	-7.4%
New York	169.92	0.1%	-2.6%
Phoenix	100.22	-0.2%	-6.5%
Portland	136.1	0.1%	-5.7%
San Diego	153.72	-0.8%	-5.4%
San Fran.	133.22	-1.5%	-5.9%
Seattle	135.59	-1.1%	-6.5%
Tampa	127.37	-1.5%	-6.7%
Washington	188.07	1.2%	1.0%
The indexes have a base value of 100 in January 2000; so an index value of 150 translates to a 50% appreciation since then for a typical home in the market. Source:S&P Indices and Fiserv

Columbus Underground: Waffle House Coming to OSU Campus Area

 

Good news for breakfast enthusiasts that live near The Ohio State University campus! According to an article in today’s Business First (subscription only), Waffle House is planning on opening a shop at 1712 North High Street, next door to the Newport Music Hall.

More here