Charter high school proposed for Northland business park

Educational Solutions Co. wants to build a charter school in an area of Northland that is largely zoned for manufacturing uses.

The company, at 2740 Airport Drive, has proposed building school for grades 9-12 in an old office building at 2593 Corporate Drive in the Northeast Business Campus, which is visible from state Route 161.

Educational Solutions Co. has applied for a variance that would allow educational uses in an M-2 manufacturing district, which permits light industrial and offices.

“It’s an office building,” said attorney Jeffrey L. Brown, who’s representing Educational Solutions Co. “That’s what makes it so easy for a school location.”

Schools most often are permitted in commercial or residential zoning classifications, Brown said.

Writing on behalf of his client in its statement of hardship, Brown noted there is ample parking on the site and the interior lends itself to classroom uses.

Brown said another school is in the general vicinity – the Cleveland School of Cannabis at 3700 Corporate Drive.

“The requested variance will not impair an adequate supply of air and light to the adjacent property nor unreasonably increase the congestion of public streets, nor increase the danger of fires, nor endanger the public safety …,” Brown wrote.

Educational Solutions is charter-school management organization that has served the central Ohio community for 20 years, according to its website: edsolns.com.

It manages both elementary and middle schools but no high schools, as of yet, according to the site.

The request to build a high school came from parents, Brown said.

The proposed site is owned by NCH 12 Columbus LLC, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which purchased the 30,000-square-foot property set on 3.54 acres in June 2012 for a little more than $4 million, according to county records.

Bill Logan, vice chairperson of the Northland Community Council’s development committee and a member of the NCC, said he supports the variance.

The development committee at its Dec. 1 meeting was expected to consider the matter. The committee, along with the Northland Community Council as a whole, act in an advisory capacity, so their recommendations would be forwarded to the city of Columbus.

City Council will have the final say.

Logan said it appears to suit the needs of Educational Solutions Co. and has good access to state Route 161.

“I have no objection to a school being located there,” he said.

gseman@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekGary

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Charter high school proposed for Columbus Northland business park