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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Monday marked the official end of the semester at Ohio State University, 15 campus students spent it studying in a prison through the Ohio Prison Education Exchange project.

The students met with 15 inmates for a class called, "Corrections," which is focused on understanding the judicial system and preparing all 30 students for the future.

What scammer said after sending Ohio Uber driver on deadly order

What has the look and feel of a traditional classroom sits inside a prison — the London Correctional Institution.

"So really what we're doing is we're looking at there are corrections system, but we're looking at together," said Dr. Terrance Hinton, who teaches "Corrections" at Ohio State University.

For two years now, Hinton's classroom has been inside correctional facilities. Campus students spend a semester alongside, who Hinton calls "incarcerated students." The incarcerated students are serving time for various offenses. The focus is restorative justice.

"The question I always ask myself is, 'What does that look like for individuals when they are coming out?' and that kind of led me down a different path of looking at public safety from the other end of the spectrum and really assisting individuals when they come out of prison," said Hinton.

Once a week, the students work on the same assignments, engage in conversation and learn about life from another person's perspective.

"From that understanding, comes empathy, comes humanizing," said Hinton. "And that's what I like about this classroom. It's really humanization — these individuals are talking. We find out we have a lot in common and once we have that bond, we can learn about the corrections system together."

Columbus Zoo reports stolen car and break-ins from masked suspects in parking lot

"One of our major goals as a department is to bring hope back to the correctional facilities and drive that into not only our population but the community as well," said Warden Michael DeMartino.

"Roughly 90% of the individuals that are incarcerated are coming back to our communities and we want them to come back better when they came here. We want them to have more resources, more tools and better cognitive behavior. So, we really try to drive that here at this facility.

"You paid for your crime. And when you get out, there's stuff that's available to you. You have a purpose. That's a huge part of rehabilitation is making sure someone has hope and purpose to be successful when they reach the community."

NEWARK, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Licking County man was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of killing his mother and then burying her body in the backyard of their home.

David A. Perrine, 41, was found guilty last week of aggravated murder, murder, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, and two counts of theft.

Lakeview woman faces up to 16 years in prison for car crash that killed teen

In addition to the mandatory life in prison without parole sentence for the aggravated murder charge, Perrine was also given six additional years in prison for the other charges; those sentences will be served concurrently with the life sentence.

On Dec. 23, 2022, Licking County Sheriff's deputies performed a wellness check for 67-year-old Debra Perrine at her home on Darlene Drive in Newark after family members said they hadn't heard from her in over a week.

When deputies entered the house, they found Debra's son David inside with another man. Deputies found no sign of the woman but did see evidence of foul play and an attempt to remove evidence. Perrine was then arrested for a pretrial bond violation, based on charges of grand theft of a vehicle, robbery, and felony theft.

What scammer said after sending Ohio Uber driver on deadly order

Less than a week later, on Dec. 29, sheriff's detectives and investigators with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation found Debra Perrine's body buried in the backyard of the home; the sheriff's office said the body had "obvious signs of trauma."

Perrine was indicted in his mother's death by a grand jury in May 2023.

Oracle has released JDK Mission Control (JMC) 9, an update to the tool kit for monitoring, managing, profiling, and troubleshooting Java applications that adds a dark theme and makes the frequency of JVM checks configurable.

The most significant change is that JMC now must use JDK 17 or later to run.

JMC 9 was unveiled on April 21. Binaries can be downloaded from oracle.com. While JMC 9 requires JDK 17 or later, it still can read Java Flight Recorder (JFR) recordings from JDK 7u40 or later. JMC and the JFR profiling and event collection framework together offer a tool chain to collect runtime information for after-the-fact analysis.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Express has announced it may close down its Ohio corporate offices and lay off over 600 employees. 

Express, whose portfolio includes Bonobos and UpWest, filed for bankruptcy Monday and plans to close 95 Express stores and all 10 of its UpWest stores. The company did not specify which Express locations will be shut down.

In a news release, Express claimed the Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection was to “facilitate the sale” of most of its operations to an investor group, which includes WHP Global, Simon Property Group and Brookfield Properties. Subject to court approval, Express said it received a letter of intent from the investors to buy the assets.

Columbus Zoo reports stolen car and break-ins from masked suspects in parking lot

In connection to the company’s bankruptcy filing, Express stated it expects closing offices at 1 Express Drive, near Easton Town Center, and at 235 N. Fourth St. Downtown.

In a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, notice filed Tuesday with the state, the company said if restructuring efforts fail or the buyer fails to provide a sufficient number of job offers to current employees, all 614 Ohio office employees would be permanently laid off. Layoffs are expected to occur in late June.

Express has 11 stores in Ohio, including at Easton and Polaris Fashion Place. The state is home to one Bonobos store in Columbus' Victorian Village neighborhood. The company did not share the fate of these locations as of Tuesday. None of the company’s 10 UpWest stores is located in Ohio. 

A previous report can be seen in the player above.

BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Lakeview woman is facing up to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to charges related to the death of a teenager.

Charges were filed against Briana Mohler, 32, in February for the death of 17-year-old Chloe Hodge in a Jan. 25 head-on crash in Logan County. On Tuesday, Mohler pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, operating a vehicle under the influence and driving under suspension. She faces at least three years in prison, but prosecutors are recommending a sentence that could last as long as 16 years, the Logan County prosecutor's office said.

What scammer said after sending Ohio Uber driver on deadly order

Hodge, a junior at Indian Lake High School, was driving a Honda southbound on County Road 130 when she was hit head-on by a Ford driven by Mohler that traveled left of center from the northbound lane.

“Chloe was a bright light who always wanted to help people,” the school district said in a statement. “She was smart, funny, and always quick to lend a hand. Chloe continues to help others as an organ and tissue donor.”

Mohler's sentencing is scheduled for May 28.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered U.S. and Ohio flags to be flown at half-staff.

Flags have been lowered on Ohio’s public buildings and grounds throughout the state of Ohio at all Ohio Department of Transportation facilities in honor of former Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jerry Wray, who died recently.

The flags will also be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Licking County, at the Ohio Statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes State Office Tower, from Tuesday until sunset on the day of his funeral.

Wray, the only two-time director of the department, served under Governor Voinovich from 1991 to 1999 and Governor Kasich from 2011 to 2019. He is one of the longest serving state DOT directors in the nation’s history at 16 years.

Nearly 200 dogs find homes, Franklin County Dog Shelter thanks community

According to ODOT's website, under Wray's leadership the department recruited a record number of women, minorities, and veterans. The department additionally put greater emphasis on making sure public contract opportunities were available to minority and disadvantaged companies. Wray also established a second-chance apprentice program to help transition ex-offenders from the Ohio Reformatory for Women into employment opportunities to prevent recidivism.

"Jerry was passionate about transforming ODOT into an organization that displayed what he called ‘excellence in government,' DeWine said. "The changes he ushered in will benefit our state for decades to come."

ODOT’s Central Office facility on West Broad Street was officially renamed the Jerry Wray Building as a dedication to Wray in December 2021.

"Jerry was a dedicated public servant and it is fitting that the (ODOT) building bears his name as he was beloved and respected by ODOT employees, contractors, and everybody who came into contact with him at work and in life," DeWine said.

Microsoft has introduced a new family of small language models (SLMs) as part of its plan to make lightweight yet high-performing generative artificial intelligence technology available across more platforms, including mobile devices.

The company unveiled the Phi-3 platform in three models: the 3.8-billion-parameter Phi-3 Mini, the 7-billion-parameter Phi-3 Small, and the 14-billion-parameter Phi-3 Medium. The models comprise the next iteration of Microsoft’s SLM product line that began with the release of Phi-1 and then Phi-2 in rapid succession last December.

To read this article in full, please click here

Microsoft has introduced a new family of small language models (SLMs) as part of its plan to make lightweight yet high-performing generative artificial intelligence technology available across more platforms, including mobile devices.

The company unveiled the Phi-3 platform in three models: the 3.8-billion-parameter Phi-3 Mini, the 7-billion-parameter Phi-3 Small, and the 14-billion-parameter Phi-3 Medium. The models comprise the next iteration of Microsoft’s SLM product line that began with the release of Phi-1 and then Phi-2 in rapid succession last December.

To read this article in full, please click here

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Franklin County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center is thanking the community for its support after the shelter announced the facility was at capacity last week.

In a post on social media, the organization announced a record-breaking week with 186 dogs being adopted or taken into foster-to-adopt homes. Additionally, more than two dozen lost pups were reunited with their families.

List: Summer farmers markets in central Ohio

The shelter specifically noted some of the furry friends who found new homes by name and photo, with shoutouts to Alvin, Agnes, Houston, Pixie, Eleanor, Chris, Liam, Poppy and Emmett.

• Adopted dog (Franklin County Dog Shelter)
• Adopted dog (Franklin County Dog Shelter)
• Adopted dog (Franklin County Dog Shelter)
• Adopted dog (Franklin County Dog Shelter)
• Adopted dog (Franklin County Dog Shelter)
• Adopted dog (Franklin County Dog Shelter)
• Adopted dog (Franklin County Dog Shelter)
• Adopted dog (Franklin County Dog Shelter)

"To all of our proud new pet parents, thank you for choosing adoption and for opening up your heart and home to a shelter dog!" the post read.

Worthington’s Buca di Beppo to close after 23 years, face bulldozer for new Chick-fil-A

The agency also invited anyone considering adopting a dog to visit the shelter. There are nearly 200 dogs still waiting for homes. "No appointments are needed. No application is required! Walk-ins are always welcome!" the shelter wrote.

Those interested can visit the shelter's website for real-time updates, adoption prices and personality information.

SOUTH CHARLESTON, Ohio (WCMH) -- Deputies in Clark County recorded conversations with a scammer they said unintentionally orchestrated a deadly shooting with an Uber order and phone calls.

The scammer had been calling 81-year-old William Brock on March 25, telling him that one of his relatives was in jail and demanding money, according to the sheriff's office. Separately, the same scammer or an accomplice placed an order on Uber, sending 61-year-old Lo-Letha Hall to pick up a package at Brock's home west of South Charleston.

Hall was completely unarmed when she arrived, and wasn't aware of the calls Brock received before she came there, the sheriff's office said. A dashcam in her car recorded her trying to leave as Brock followed her and pointed a revolver at her. When deputies came to the home after Brock called and reported a robbery, they found Hall on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds and the elderly man with injuries to his head and ear.

While emergency crews were at the scene, Brock's phone rang again. Detective Sheila Crews picked it up while a deputy's bodycam was rolling. After initial greetings and the caller asking who was on the line, they made comments revealing themself as the scammer. The man on the phone spoke without any apparent accent, and the voice did not appear to be computer-generated since he displayed natural stammering.

"May I ask who I'm talking to?" Crews asked.

"Yes, this is the officer speaking," the scammer said.

"Okay, what officer?" Crews said.

"Yes," the scammer said.

"No, I need to know what officer, sir," Crews said.

"You're gonna be in trouble," the scammer replied.

Crews then asked the scammer if he knew Hall, and he said yes. The detective then identified herself as an actual law enforcement official and told them that Hall had been in an "accident." But when she finished speaking, she realized the phone call had been disconnected.

Another bodycam recording showed the scammer calling Crews back, apologizing that the call disconnected. The scammer inquired further about Hall.

"No, uh, she's not doing well," Crews said

"Oh no," the scammer said.

Crews explained Hall was going to the hospital, and the scammer asked which one. But the detective said the scammer would have to come to Brock's home to talk to her before she would share that information.

"Okay, I'm gonna be there, give me 20 minutes?" the scammer asked.

He also asked where Brock was, and Crews said he was talking to the deputies.

The scammer never showed up at Brock's home, according to the sheriff's office. It said its team was investigating the scam calls and Uber app order that led to the shooting, and looking for the man or accomplices that coordinated the incident. But as of Tuesday, the sheriff's office had not shared any new details on the scammer.

Another deputy's bodycam recorded emergency crews' attempts to help Hall, as well as interviews with Brock while he sat in a deputy's car. Medical crews had removed some of the Uber driver's clothes to treat her gunshot wounds before loading her into an ambulance. Wind blowing on the bodycam's microphone obscured the majority of Brock's conversation with deputies, but he could be heard asking if medics were able to stabilize Hall after the shooting.

Lo-Letha Hall's dashcam in her car captured her attempting to leave as William Brock held her at gunpoint. (Courtesy Photo/Clark County Sheriff's Office)

Hall's obituary listed her as a Columbus native. Her funeral service took place on April 5 at a church on the Northeast Side.

Deputies later arrested Brock, and he faces charges including three counts of murder as well as one each of kidnapping and felonious assault, according to an indictment from Clark County Common Pleas Court. The sheriff's office argued that Hall wasn't an active threat to Brock, and he made no attempt to call for help during the confrontation either. Investigators accused him of shooting Hall as she tried to get in her car and leave.

Clark County Common Pleas Court records did not show any scheduled appearance for Brock as of Tuesday. However, a pre-trial order filed Friday said the court would issue a notice for pre-trial hearing and jury trial dates in the near future.

POWELL, Ohio (WCMH) – Columbus Zoo security and area authorities are on alert after six people allegedly stole one car and attempted to break into multiple others in the parking lot Monday afternoon.

According to a Delaware County Sheriff’s report, a deputy was dispatched to the Columbus Zoo on West Powell Road, where there were reports of several people running through the parking lot with hoods over their heads and masks on their face.

List: Summer farmers markets in central Ohio

A witness reported that the individuals were trying to break into or steal cars parked in the lot. Before the responding deputy arrived, the individuals allegedly left in a white Hyundai Sonata and an unidentified black sedan.

The incident report states that the witness was sitting in their car and observed four people checking vehicles and attempting to break into them. The witness said that the four people casing the parking lot were being followed by two cars with the drivers also wearing hoods and masks.

One of the cars reportedly had a window broken and the witness stated they could see weapons by the suspects' hips. The Columbus Zoo also reported it received at least two other calls to its guest relations desks regarding the suspects.

After the zoo closed, the sheriff’s office received another call from a person who said their car was missing from the lot. A description of the car matched that of the Hyundai Sonata which was reportedly being driven by one of the masked suspects.

The responding sergeant investigated the area and found documents belonging to the victim, including a W2 form, checks, bank statements and other documents, scattered near the parking lot exit.

Picnic Pizza Italian Eatery in Zanesville closes after more than 30 years

Zoo security shared that they observed the black vehicle entering the lot and then exiting three minutes later along with the Hyundai. Deputies were able to observe security camera footage, but they did not share it publicly, or if they found additional evidence.

The sheriff’s office asked anyone with information on this incident to call 740-833-2800 or email alee@co.delaware.oh.us.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Short North bar is closing after its lease went unrenewed to make way for a new development.

Mouton at 954 N. High St. will shut its doors soon, according to a social media post. In the announcement, bar owner Jonathan Klingler expressed his appreciation to the people of Columbus.

Picnic Pizza Italian Eatery in Zanesville closes after 30-plus years, but its story isn’t over

"From such simple beginnings to becoming a cherished cornerstone of the Columbus cocktail community, each cocktail shook, every glass poured, every smile exchanged, and every memory made has been a testament to the love and support Columbus has always shown us," Klingler said.

For more than a decade, the bar served a variety of cocktails, craft beers, wines, and even shared plates and bar snacks. Klingler thanked his staff for their hard work, creativity, and passion for the drink menu.

"You've poured your heart and soul into every cocktail, creating experiences that will be cherished by all who walked through our doors," Klingler said.

Worthington’s Buca di Beppo to close after 23 years, face bulldozer for new Chick-fil-A

Mouton said the bar is closing after its lease expired to make way for a new development with the adjacent space. Public records from the Franklin County Auditor's Office indicate the space is owned by a B B R Holdings LLC, which owns properties at 952 through 958 N. High St.

A final closing date will be announced in the coming weeks, according to Mouton's post.

The readability, maintainability, and usability of switch statements and expressions in Java would be improved by a proposal to allow exceptions to be handled in the switch block.

The current OpenJDK proposal, “Exception handling in switch (Preview),” would be part of the Standard Edition of Java, although no specific version Java SE has been designated yet as the recipient. Specifically, the proposal calls for enhancing switch so that exceptions thrown by the selector (the e in switch (e) …) can be handled in the switch block.

Goals of the plan, which was created January 12 and updated April 19, include improving readability and maintainability by allowing switch to concisely handle all possible outcomes of evaluating the selector, and streamlining the use of APIs that throw checked exceptions, when used by the selector of a switch statement or expression.

To read this article in full, please click here

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Evening rain showers, high 65
• Tonight: Showers continue, low 48
• Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, high 56 (33)
• Thursday: Mainly sunny, high 60 (39)
• Friday: Chance of rain showers, high 74 (59)
• Saturday: Isolated t-storms, high 79 (63)

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Central Ohio will finally se temperatures close to average for this time of year, but this will be short lived. Highs will reach the mid-upper 60s this afternoon. A cold front will bring rain showers that will move across the area starting late this afternoon. Along with the rain showers, breezy conditions will last the rest of the day.

Tonight into early Wednesday morning rain showers will continue. Close to a quarter inch of rain will fall, bringing Columbus’s total precipitation totals for April close to 6 inches. Winds will remain breezy at times overnight as the cold front moves through.

Tomorrow will be noticeably chillier. Overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning temperatures will fall close to the freezing point. A rebound in temps starts heading towards this weekend. More rain and a few thunderstorms will move through the weekend. During this time highs will top off in the mid 70s Friday and close to the 80 degree mark between Saturday, Sunday, & Monday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - With spring in full swing, many farmers markets across central Ohio are opening up for residents to buy local produce and goods from vendors. Below is a list of markets, where they are located and when you can visit.

Franklin County

Bexley Farmers Market

• May 16-Oct. 24, Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at East Main and Dawson Ave.

Bronzeville Growers Market

• July 11-Sept. 26, Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at 925 Mt. Vernon Ave.

Canal Winchester Farmers Market

• May 25-Sept. 28, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 100 N. High St.

Clintonville Farmers Market

• April 27-Nov. 23, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 3535 N. High St.

Dublin Market at Bridge Park

• May 4-Sept. 28, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6741 Longshore St.

German Village Farmers Market

• April 21-Dec. 8, Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1108 City Park Ave.

Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce Farmers Market

• May 11-Sept. 14, Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon at 3444 Park St.

Groveport Farmers Market

• July 18-Sept. 12, Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. at 551 Wirt Rd.

Hilliard Farm Market

• May 21-Sept. 3, Tuesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at 5445 Scioto Darby Rd.

New Albany Farmers Market

• June 6-Aug. 29, Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at 202 E. Market St.

Pearl Market in Downtown Columbus

• May 16-Oct.10, Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gay Street and Pearl St.

Reynoldsburg Farmers Market

• June 6-Aug. 29, Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at 7232 E. Main St.

Upper Arlington Farmers Market

• May 15-Oct. 23, Wednesdays from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 2140 Tremont Center

Westerville Farmers Market

• May 18-Sept. 28, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 21 S. State St.

Worthington Farmers Market

• May 4-Oct., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon at Old Worthington Historic District

Delaware County

Main Street Delaware Farmers Market

• May 25-Oct. 26, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 20 E. William St.

Lewis Center Market on Orange

• July 2-Aug. 27, Tuesdays from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 3467 E. Orange Rd.

Powell Farmers Market

• May 25-Oct. 5, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 240 N. Liberty St.

Sunbury Farmers Market

• May 25-Sept. 28, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 51 E. Cherry St.

Whitehall Market on the Green

• June 11-Aug. 27, Tuesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at 105 Norton Park Dr.

Fairfield County

Baltimore Farmers Market

• June 4-Sept., Tuesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at 8865 Lancaster-Kirkersville Rd.

Lancaster Farmers Market

• May 4-Oct. 5, Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Chestnut Street, between Broad St. and North Columbus St.

Pickerington Farmers Market

• June-September, Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at 89 N. Center St.

Licking County

Granville Farmers Market

• May 4-Oct. 26, Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon at 1225 River Rd.

Pataskala Farmers Market

• Dates and times to be announced, 337 S. Main St.

Madison County

Madison County Farmers Market

• June-Sept., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon at 300 Lafayette St. in London

Plain City Farmers Market

• Season kickoff on July 4 from 9a.m. to noon
• Thursdays from July 11-October 3 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 101 S. Chillicothe St.

Union County

Union County Farmers Market

• May 18-Oct. 5, Saturdays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 125 E. 6th St. in Marysville

ZANESVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio pizzeria known for New York-style pies announced it's closing after more than 30 years of business.

Picnic Pizza Italian Eatery at 1250 Maple Ave. in Zanesville permanently shuttered on March 24, co-owners Antonino Russo and Vincenzo Buzzetta shared on social media. Russo and Buzzetta's other longtime Picnic Pizza location in the Colony Square Mall will remain open, one of two original remaining stores that opened with the mall in 1981.

"We are so thankful for being able to serve our customers at the Italian Eatery since 1992, but now we want to be able to spend more time with our families," the social media post said. "We are still serving our original pizza products at the Colony Square Mall shop, and hope to see all of our loyal Italian Eatery customers there."

Express files for bankruptcy, plans to close over 100 stores Picnic Pizza Italian Eatery at 1250 Maple Ave. in Zanesville permanently shuttered on March 24. (Courtesy Photo/Picnic Pizza Italian Eatery)

Picnic Pizza's closing came as Zamarelli's Pizza Palace at 4011 Front St. in Grove City closed earlier this month after 61 years in business. The restaurant opened to customers in 1963 under Andy Zamarelli, offering customers a variety pizza, subs and salads and other Italian dishes including spaghetti, gnocchi, eggplant parmesan and more.

Meanwhile, several other pizza eateries are opening in central Ohio this spring and summer. Tony's Pizza at 946 Galloway Road in Galloway is welcoming patrons after opening on April 2, taking over the former location of OH Pizza and Brew which moved to its downtown spot at 88 E. Broad St. in 2018.

See which Family Dollar stores in central Ohio are among those closing around the state

JT’s Pizza and Pub is opening a new pizzeria at 845 Goodale Blvd. in Grandview Heights this summer, partnering with Elford Development to open the location at the Southern Station apartment complex. The shop, known for its pizza, wings, calzones and more, also operates a Columbus location at 2390 W. Dublin Granville Rd.

In addition, Ronetti’s Pizza at 23 South Main Street in London has expanded with a food truck traveling across central Ohio. Not only will the food truck serve pizza and subs, but customers can also buy from Layla’s Sweet Treats Ice Cream as well.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is moving some features of its generative AI application-building service, Amazon Bedrock, to general availability, the company said on Tuesday.

These features include guardrails for AI, a model evaluation tool, and new large language models (LLMs).

To read this article in full, please click here

Watch a previous report on the proposed apartment complex for the Summit United Methodist Church property in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A developer has new plans for Ohio State-area student housing on the site of a now-closed church – and letters of support from the church and nearby residents to match.

Chicago-based UP Campus Properties has submitted its latest proposal for an apartment complex geared toward Ohio State students at the fork of East 16th and Waldeck avenues. The complex, now planned to be five stories and house more than 300 residents, would replace the now-vacant Summit United Methodist Church.

Worthington's Buca di Beppo to close after 23 years, face bulldozer for new Chick-fil-A

The version slated for review by the University Impact District Review Board on Thursday is at least the fourth version UP Campus and Columbus architect group MA Design has drawn up since last August. In December, the review board was concerned that the then-6-story proposal would tower over the neighboring three-story duplexes and other student rental housing.

• A digital rendering of townhouses on East 16th Avenue as part of a proposed apartment complex on the site of Summit United Methodist Church. (Photo Courtesy/MA Design and UP Campus Properties via University Impact District Review Board)
• A digital rendering the entrance to a proposed apartment complex on the site of Summit United Methodist Church. (Photo Courtesy/MA Design and UP Campus Properties via University Impact District Review Board)
• A digital rendering of the Waldeck Avenue façade of a proposed apartment complex for the site of Summit United Methodist Church. (Photo Courtesy/MA Design and UP Campus Properties via University Impact District Review Board)

The updated designs show a main entrance to the complex at the fork between the avenues with a mostly brick façade and balconies on each floor. An entrance to a semi-automated parking garage would be on Waldeck Avenue, while three 4-story townhouse-style units would line the East 16th Avenue edge of the property. 

Express files for bankruptcy, plans to close over 100 stores

According to the application, the complex would be 76 units and house up to 317 residents, not including the duplex next door. Renderings show mostly 4-bedroom units, with some 6-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom units as well.

• Digital rendering of the ground-floor plan of an apartment complex proposed for the site of Summit United Methodist Church near Ohio State University. (Photo Courtesy/MA Design and UP Campus Properties via University Impact District Review Board)
• Digital rendering of the second-floor plan of an apartment complex proposed for the site of Summit United Methodist Church near Ohio State University. (Photo Courtesy/MA Design and UP Campus Properties via University Impact District Review Board)

In the updated renderings, the neighboring duplex on East 16th Avenue would be preserved. Original plans had called for its demolition, but the review board asked for it to be maintained, if possible, because of its age.

UP Campus included in its application a handful of letters of support, including from the landlord of a duplex next to the property and the pastor of Summit United Methodist Church. In her letter, Pastor Allyssa Graves said the church building had reached the end of its usable life and the church hoped to sell the property.

How Delaware is converting a Civil War-era mill into a $40 million apartment complex

“Students have lived in our neighborhood for generations and will continue to do so,” Graves wrote. “Replacing our property with high-quality housing is the highest and best use for the property and will be a great addition to the neighborhood.”

Several students, including members of nearby sororities and other student groups, also signed letters of support.

UP Campus Properties is asking for several zoning variances, including an allowance for the building to be 65 feet high and to reduce the required on-site parking from 337 to 96.

WORTHINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) -- A central Ohio Buca di Beppo restaurant open for more than 23 years is set to be demolished after the site was bought for $2.5 million by Chick-fil-A.

The Italian restaurant at 60 E. Wilson Bridge in Worthington was purchased by the fast food chain on April 17, Franklin County auditor's office records show. While the restaurant remains open with a shuttering date yet to be announced, the location's closing will dwindle Buca di Beppo to three Ohio eateries: one in downtown Columbus, another in Strongsville and a third near Cincinnati.

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Neither Chick-fil-A nor Buca di Beppo responded to NBC4's request for comment regarding the Worthington property, which has been home to the Italian restaurant since 2001.

• The Italian restaurant at 60 E. Wilson Bridge in Worthington was purchased by the fast food chain on April 17. (Worthington Planning and Building Commission)
• The Italian restaurant at 60 E. Wilson Bridge in Worthington was purchased by the fast food chain on April 17. (Franklin County Auditor's Office)

Plans call for the Buca di Beppo to be bulldozed to clear the site for construction of a 5,000 square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant, a proposal filed with the city of Worthington states. Once finished, the building will sport an aesthetic matching the neighborhood with a dual-lane drive-thru covered by two canopies.

Bucca di Beppo marks one of several Columbus-area restaurants to be demolished for a new Chick-fil-A, like Mackenzie River at 1515 Polaris Parkway which closed earlier this year after eight years in business. The restaurant launched in 2016 after Montana-based Glacier Restaurant Group purchased all Max and Erma's locations and transformed several into Mackenzie River eateries.

See which Family Dollar stores in central Ohio are among those closing around the state

Tee Jaye's Country Place at 4910 N. High St. closed in 2021 to make way for a new Chick-fil-A, which opened earlier this month. Construction at this site included preserving the site's 20th-century sign that has received a facelift with Chick-fil-A branding.

Other central Ohio restaurants facing a bulldozer for new development include a former Max and Erma's restaurant at 7480 Sawmill Road in Dublin making room for a Sheetz location. Max and Erma's Montana-based owner, Glacier Restaurant Group, closed the Sawmill Road location and the brand's other Dublin restaurant at 411 Metro Place North in 2020.

A former O’Charley’s near Polaris will undergo a $1.5 million renovation to become the first Ohio restaurant for Fogo de Chão, a Brazilian steakhouse with locations across the globe. The location will add to the steakhouse’s collection of nearly 100 restaurants in Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the Middle East, the U.S. and more.

GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) – A real estate group has applied to build a Sheetz in Gahanna for the second time, with the project once again possibly headed toward failure. 

Skilken Gold Real Estate Development proposed a Sheetz gas station and convenience store at 230 Granville St., previously home to the permanently closed restaurant Coaches. The company's application shows the Sheetz building would be located toward the back of the 4.63-acre lot, with no drive-thru onsite. The project also proposes installing a sidewalk from Granville Street to Shull Park. 

Central Ohio theft ring appears to be part of larger issue, law enforcement says

• (Photo Courtesy/City of Gahanna)
• (Photo Courtesy/City of Gahanna)

In a staff review, Gahanna’s planning commission recommended disapproval of all three design proposals submitted by the company. The commission states the proposals are not consistent with recommendations from the city’s land use plan, which emphasizes walkability and pedestrians being “a focal point of design.”

Former Gahanna mayor Jim McGregor said on social media that while he hopes Gahanna will have a Sheetz one day, the proposed location is not appropriate. 

“Shull Park bustles with children coming to and leaving athletic games,” McGregor said in a Facebook post. “Bicycles, foot traffic and cars hurry about the grounds. Present adjacent business activities are busy at lunch and after work, but generally quiescent at other times. A fuel station draws a constant turbulence of traffic. This is incompatible with the safety of the children.”

See which Family Dollar stores in central Ohio are among those closing around the state

Last year, Skilken Gold attempted to bring a Sheetz to Gahanna on a plot between Johnstown Road and Morse Road. In March 2023, the city’s planning commission shot down three design proposals for the building.

Numerous residents spoke out against the project, citing FBI statistics about how convenience stores and gas stations are high on the list of likely locations for violent crime and concerns about traffic.

The resistance to the new Gahanna addition comes as Sheetz faces a federal discrimination lawsuit. The company opened its first central Ohio store in 2021, and has since expanded to 14 more central Ohio locations, according to its website. The planning commission will review the Granville Street Sheetz proposal at a meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m., to approve or deny the plan.