National Church Residences proposes new headquarters and senior housing; neighbors cite privacy, traffic and path concerns

National Church Residences (NCR) presented a revised campus redevelopment plan at the Sept. 3 Upper Arlington Board of Zoning and Planning work session that would replace existing campus buildings on Northbank Drive with a new corporate headquarters and two senior housing buildings. Staff described elements of the major site plan and a related plat amendment and identified one variance. Dozens of residents attended public comment, with many expressing concerns about privacy, building height, construction traffic and a proposed lake-side trail.

What the proposal includes: The plan before the board would demolish NCR's dated office buildings, build a roughly 59,000-square-foot corporate headquarters closer to Northbank Drive, and construct two senior housing buildings: an immediate 80-unit age-restricted building and a future 120-unit senior living building. The design includes two levels of structured parking under the office building, three stories in the senior building design shown to the board, and a recreational path along the south side of the property adjacent to the lake. Staff and the applicant said structured parking would reduce surface asphalt and free space for a green area along the lake.

Staff context and required approvals: Planning staff reminded the board that the city's Envision Henderson plan and a…