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Grove City council approves 21,853-square-foot addition to Church of the Nazarene school
Summary
Council approved Resolution CR39-25 allowing a 21,853-square-foot addition to the Grove City Church of the Nazarene school at 4770 Hoover Road; neighbors raised traffic concerns and city staff said existing stormwater infrastructure was designed to accommodate the expansion.
Grove City Council on Tuesday approved Resolution CR39-25, a development plan that allows a 21,853-square-foot addition to the Grove City Church of the Nazarene Christian school at 4770 Hoover Road.
The council voted to approve the development plan after a brief public hearing that included remarks from the project team and neighbors. Cindy De Mesa, a project designer with McKnight Group, said the addition will match existing finishes and provide classroom, media center and cafeteria space. “The finishes are glass, brick, and metal panel to match what’s already there,” De Mesa said. She described the addition as “about double the size for the media center or library” and said it will include 10 new classrooms, an enlarged cafeteria and a new commercial kitchen.
Neighbors and project representatives addressed traffic and stormwater. Councilmember Wilson asked staff to “really pay attention to the traffic on Hoover” if the student population increases. Dale Benson, who said he lives in the parsonage on the property, described current drop-off patterns and said some families use the north entrance for younger grades and a U-shaped area on the south side for high school pickup. Benson said the school may need to consider staggered start times as enrollment patterns change.
Eric Walsh, a project engineer, responded to the stormwater question. Walsh said previous phases on the site included a dry detention basin “to accommodate, actually, this future development” and that the existing infrastructure “would accommodate this.” Walsh also identified where current stacking and drop-off occur on the site.
The council’s approval followed a recommendation for approval from the planning commission. The motion to approve did not list a mover on the public record; the council’s recorded roll-call votes were Yes from Anderson, Wilson, Houck, Holt, Gary, Dew and Ferros. The resolution passed.
The council and project team acknowledged community concern about traffic on Hoover Road and said staff would continue to study circulation and safety measures. Councilmembers and the project team discussed possible police or safety traffic management during school pick-up and the potential for staggered start times.
The plan calls for a 21,853-square-foot building addition to the north side of the existing site to create additional classroom space, a new media center and enlarged cafeteria. The planning commission recommended approval before the council hearing.
Council members who spoke said they will monitor traffic and the city will coordinate with police and schools as needed. The council approved the development plan by voice and roll-call vote.
