Wallick Building $9M Cornerstone Crossing Senior Apartments

Blacklick Crossing ‘Intake’ Overflows

Tidwell, Ashford Residents Join Heart of Service’s Annual Backpack Drive

It’s more than a backpack. It’s a fresh start. 

Wallick’s volunteer committee Heart of Service held its annual backpack drive, but with a twist. In August, the committee had over 1,000 school items delivered to The Ashford on Broad, where residents eagerly awaited to help stuff backpacks for 200 children that live in Wallick’s affordable housing communities. The crew was also joined by associates from Tidwell Group, the company’s financial consulting partner, who donated half of the supplies.  

Heart of Service’s backpack drive is about more than giving kids a pencil and paper to bring to school. Possessing the essential tools to learn establishes the tone of the school year, and possibly what’s left of a student’s academic career. Therefore, to impact those left out of summer back-to-school drives, Heart of Service will deliver the backpacks and school supplies to children at the end of this year.

Thank you to everyone who made the backpack drive possible!

Sturbridge Featured on Good Day Marketplace

Cast and crew from FOX 28’s show Columbus Good Day Marketplace popped over to The Ashford at Sturbridge on Thursday to capture footage for an upcoming segment. Reporter Cameron Fontana had the chance to chat with Stephanie Hess, VP of Senior Living Operations, about how The Ashford at Sturbridge works to provide quality care and living arrangements to seniors in Hilliard, OH.

Wallick Expands Presence to Iowa

In May, Wallick Communities closed on the acquisition of Wapello Woods Apartments, a 46-unit, Section 8 multi-family community in Ottumwa, IA. Wapello Woods is the company’s first community in Iowa and Wallick has partnered with Young Management Corporation, which will oversee operations at the apartments.

Only a short car trip from the Des Moines River, Wapello Woods has a mix of two- and three-bedroom apartments and is nestled on a scenic four acres of land.

Wallick Secures 49M for Ohio Properties

Congressman Stivers, Senator Kunze Among Others Attend Sturbridge Grand Opening

 

On Tuesday, The Ashford at Sturbridge in Hilliard, OH opened its doors to nearly 100 community members, residents, and business partners for its grand opening celebration. Several state and local officials were in attendance as well.

  • Senator Stephanie Kunze, The Ohio Senate
  • Congressman Steve Stivers, US House of Representatives, 15th District of Ohio
  • Kevin Boyce, Franklin County Commissioner
  • Mayor Don Schonhardt, City of Hilliard

After an official ceremony and ribbon cutting, guests were welcome to tour the new building and meet The Ashford at Sturbridge team.

The Ashford at Sturbridge is Wallick’s third affordable assisted living community. Located on the same campus as Sturbridge Green, one of Wallick’s affordable senior apartment communities, The Ashford at Sturbridge has 124 studio and one-bedroom suites and will serve as an affordable option for seniors in central Ohio searching for a value-driven community where they are not only cared for but cared about.

 

Check out Columbus Business First’s recent article about The Ashford at Sturbridge.

Kentucky Housing Corporation Awards Wallick $1.43 Million in Housing Credits

Recently, the Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) awarded Wallick $1.43 million in 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). Of those tax credits:

  • $780,000 will be used to develop Cornerstone Crossing, a soon-to-be 50-unit, new affordable senior community in Elsmere, KY.
  • $650,000 will fund the redevelopment of Liberty Manor, one of Wallick’s multifamily affordable communities in Liberty, KY.

Overall, 41 applications were submitted to the Kentucky Housing Corporation and only 18 of those applications received tax credits. In total, Wallick submitted two applications to the KHC in late 2018—both were awarded housing credits.

Hurricane Maria Victims Find Refuge at Highland Village

In 2017, disaster struck Puerto Rico when Category 5 Hurricane Maria ravaged through the Caribbean island, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. Regarded as the worst natural disaster to affect Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria robbed citizens of food, power, income, and worst of all, their homes.

Earlier this year, Jennifer Dranschak of Kasai North America, an auto manufacturing facility in Upper Sandusky, OH, had an idea to bring those displaced by Hurricane Maria to America. After hearing of Jennifer’s plans, Stephanie Fischer, general manager at Wallick, knew the perfect place for those families to live – Highland Village.

Highland Village is one of Wallick’s affordable apartment communities in Upper Sandusky, OH. Zac Brown, Highland’s community manager, worked diligently through language barriers to prepare and approve move-in applications for six families, who traveled from Puerto Rico to escape Hurricane Maria’s damage. Now, Highland Village is proud to have each of these families as residents.

Words can’t describe how grateful Highland’s newest residents are to have power, clean water, and a roof over their head. Jennifer continues to connect these families to employment opportunities and other resources.

This is one of many examples of how Wallick lives out its mission to open doors to homes, opportunities, and hope. Thank you to Stephanie, Zac, Jennifer and others for doing what you do best – helping others find a place to call home.

Heart of Service Spreads Holiday Joy at Ashford Communities

With the holidays can come joy and cheer, but also snow and frigid temperatures. And for that reason, Wallick’s volunteer committee, Heart of Service, devised a plan to keep The Ashfords’ senior residents warm and cozy this chilly season by organizing a blanket drive.

With the help of Wallick’s associates, Heart of Service collected 153 blankets for residents at two of the Company’s affordable senior living communities, The Ashford on Broad and The Ashford of Mt. Washington. Each blanket was packaged with a personalized card and gifted to residents at their community’s holiday party. Put on by The Ashfords’ staff members, both holiday bashes had a feast, music, support from Wallick associates, and of course a special appearance by Santa Clause.

Although the basic fleece blanket probably won’t make Amazon’s Hottest Holiday Gift Guide anytime soon, words can’t describe how delighted residents were to get a surprise gift from a friend at Wallick.

It just shows – no matter the gift, it’s the thought that always means the most. Thank you to everyone who donated.

Wallick Unveils $7.1 Million Memory Care Community at Grand Opening Celebration

After 18 months in development, The Grove at Oakleaf Village of Columbus officially opened November 15 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local officials, project partners and congressional representatives.

The Grove Columbus –a $7.1 million project—is Wallick’s second memory care facility for seniors with age-related dementias. When fully occupied, it will employ up to 40 full-time associates. Those who spoke at the celebration included:

  • Tom Feusse- CEO, Wallick Communities
  • Dawn Nero- Executive Director, Oakleaf Village of Columbus & The Grove
  • Stephanie Hess- Director of Operations, Senior Living, Wallick Communities
  • Jean Thompson- Executive Director, Ohio Assisted Living Association
  • Vince McGrail- Executive Director & CEO, Alzheimer’s Association Central Ohio Chapter
  • Ellen Short- Central Ohio Regional Representative, Office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
  • Jocelyn Armstrong- District Director, Office of Congresswoman Joyce Beatty
  • Hon. Michael Stinziano- President Pro Tem, Columbus City Council
  • Reverend Leroy Troy- Oakleaf Village Resident
  • Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann- Chabad Columbus

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was followed by tours and lunch. Additionally, The Grove hosted an event for the public that evening.

Wallick Associates Build the Dream of Home Ownership with Habitat for Humanity

Affordable, decent housing is one of the most basic human needs; however, so many families and seniors within our own neighborhoods and beyond are still without a place to call home. Like Wallick, Habitat for Humanity (Habitat), a global nonprofit housing organization, works to end poverty by providing safe, affordable housing.

For two years now, Heart of Service (HOS) has partnered with local Habitat divisions to give Wallick the opportunity to help build houses for families working toward home ownership. This summer, almost 50 Wallick associates traded their same old routine for a day of framing, insulating, sheet rocking and more.

Overall, Wallick had five teams that each spent a day at one of Habitat’s project sites.

Wallick Welcomes Sen. Hornback, State Rep. Rand & Other Officials to KY Grand Reopening

Senator Paul Hornback and State Representative Rick Rand were among several officials to attend the grand reopening celebration for three of Wallick’s affordable apartment communities in Kentucky. Locust Ridge (72 units), Highpoint Senior Apartments (44 units) and Bedford Village (40 units) recently underwent rehabs after Wallick was awarded over $1.1 million in tax credits from the Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) in 2016. Overall, the rehabs totaled over $19 million. Each community received the following upgrades:

Unit Improvements

  • Kitchen cabinets, countertops and appliances
  • Bathroom vanities, showers and plumbing fixtures
  • Carpet and resilient flooring
  • Interior/exterior doors
  • Redesigned units for accessibility

Building & Site Improvements

  • New roof systems
  • Security cameras and improved site lighting
  • Landscaping and upgraded community patio
  • Bedford and Locust Ridge- New community building w/ kitchenette, computer lab, laundry facilities and Resident Service coordinator office
  • Bedford and Locust Ridge- Enlarged playground area w/ seating

In addition to Sen. Hornback and State Rep. Rand, those to speak at the ribbon cutting, held at Bedford Village, were:

  • Howard Wallick- Principal, Wallick Communities
  • Andrew M. Condia- Field Representative, on behalf of Senator Mitch McConnell
  • Stacie Rockaway- Field Representative, on behalf of Congressman Thomas Massie
  • Mayor Todd Pollock- City of Bedford, KY
  • Tracy Thurston- Managing Director, Multifamily Programs & Asset Management, KHC
  • Jeff Banker- Vice President, Red Capital Group
  • Sharon Johnson- Multi-Family Housing Program Director, USDA-Rural Development

After the ribbon was cut, guests were welcome to visit and tour Locust Ridge and Highpoint for the remainder of the afternoon. Thank you to Wallick’s Development team and project partners for reinvesting in the Company’s communities and improving the lives of its residents.

Grand Reopening at Cypress Commons after $7 Million Rehab

Wallick Communities has completed a $7 million renovation at Cypress Commons, a 44-unit affordable multifamily housing community in Middletown, OH. A grand reopening celebration was held at the community on October 17.

Renovations at Cypress Commons began in 2017 after the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) awarded Wallick close to $500,000 in 9% low-income housing tax credits. In just over a year, the following improvements were made.

Unit Improvements

  • Kitchen cabinets, countertops & appliances
  • Bathroom vanities, showers and plumbing fixtures
  • Energy efficient central HVAC
  • Carpet & resilient flooring
  • Interior & exterior doors
  • Energy efficient lighting fixtures
  • Energy Star vinyl windows
  • Redesigned units for accessibility

Building & Site Improvements

  • Enlarged playground area w/ seating
  • Community building w/ kitchenette, computer lab, laundry facilities, resident services coordinator office
  • Community patio and landscaping
  • Security cameras and improved site lighting
  • Siding, Energy Star exterior doors, entry lighting

On Wednesday, Wallick welcomed community members, project partners, as well as state, local and federal officials to Cypress Commons to see the community’s transformation. Among those in attendance were:

  • Tom Feusse- CEO, Wallick Communities
  • Nan Cahall- SW Ohio District Director, Office of Senator Rob Portman
  • Ben Thaeler- Deputy District Director, Office of Congressman Warren Davidson
  • Larry Mulligan Jr.- Mayor, City of Middletown
  • Diane Alecusan- Business & Project Administration Manager, Ohio Housing Finance Agency
  • Brian Langmeyer- Vice President of Development, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing
  • Brian Dunlap- CEO/President, RiverHills Bank
  • Julian Littlejohn- Community Manager, Cypress Commons

Once again, hats off to Wallick’s development team for another successful rehab. New kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures may seem like small improvements, but their efforts have changed the lives of the families and seniors that call Cypress Commons home. Also, thank you to project partners OHFA, OCCH, RiverHills Bank, Sol Design & Consulting, Hooker DeJong, Inc. and Resident Resources Network.

Wallick Promotes Paul Koehler to Chief Administrative Officer

It’s Wallick’s pleasure to announce Paul Koehler has been promoted to Chief Administrative Officer. In this role, Paul will oversee budget, operations and strategic planning for Wallick’s IT, HR, Advertising & Marketing and Project Management departments.

In 2014, Paul joined Wallick as Chief Information Officer to lead the Company’s IT team in addition to identifying and implementing new technologies based on Wallick’s strategy and industry trends. Last year, Paul’s role was expanded to include leadership of Wallick’s Advertising & Marketing department.

For the past four years, Paul has brought an innovative, project-management focused approach to the company and under his guidance, both IT and Advertising & Marketing have advanced considerably. An advocate for Wallick’s values – care, character and collaboration – Paul will continue to help shape Wallick’s future and carry out the Company’s mission to open doors to homes, opportunities and hope.

In light of Paul’s advancement, Wallick is also pleased to announce the promotion of Brandon Carter to Director of Information Technology. Brandon has been with Wallick since 2009 and has played an integral part in transforming Wallick’s IT department as well as deploying new and innovative business solutions. Additionally, Debbie Townsend has been promoted to Manager of Software Support. Debbie also joined Wallick in 2009 and has since been instrumental in driving business process automation through software and creating a culture rooted in helping our associates succeed.

Here’s a Sneak Peek of The Ashford at Sturbridge

It was going to take a lot more than chilly temps and drizzly rain to stop Wallick’s business partners from catching a first glimpse of The Ashford at Sturbridge, the Company’s latest affordable assisted living community.

Over 50 guests eagerly arrived at Sturbridge last Thursday for the Community’s first event since Wallick broke ground last October. A new addition to one of Hilliard, Ohio’s many suburban neighborhoods, The Ashford at Sturbridge resides on the same campus of Wallick’s affordable apartment community for seniors, Sturbridge Green.

Once complete, The Ashford at Sturbridge will offer 124 studio and one-bedroom suites and serve as an affordable option for seniors in central Ohio searching for a value-driven community where they are not only cared for, but cared bout.

Check out pictures from The Ashford at Sturbridge’s first event!

Congressman Bill Johnson Speaks at Lawrence Manor’s Grand Reopening

On Thursday, Congressman Bill Johnson was in South Point, OH to visit Lawrence Manor Apartments, an affordable senior community commending its recent renovation and grand reopening. Lawrence Manor is one of several communities owned or managed by Wallick that Congressman Johnson has visited within the last four years.

In partnership with the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing and others, Wallick Communities secured nearly $7 million to redevelop Lawrence Manor – a task that also would not have been possible without the 9% Housing Tax Credit.

Originally built in 1980, Lawrence Manor received a complete renovation, including an expanded community building with a computer center, laundry facilities and resident service coordinator office. Additionally, residents saw improvements like new Energy Star appliances, new cabinets and countertops, showers, fixtures, central HVAC and flooring throughout, as well as raised garden plots and a gazebo.

To honor the community’s almost 40-year history, Wallick celebrated with cake, flowers and a chorus of “Happy Birthday” for longtime resident Juanita Clark, who just celebrated her 91st birthday the day before. Other speakers for the event included:

  • Tm Swiney- SVP, Wallick Communities, Tax-Credit Development
  • Guy Ford- Director of Legislative Affairs, Ohio Housing Finance Agency
  • Doug Klingensmith- Vice President, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing
  • Jeff Banker- Vice President, Red Capital Markets, LLC
  • Ralph Kline- Assistant Executive Director of Planning, Ironton-Lawrence County CAO
  • Michelle Norris- MFH Specialist, Rural Development
  • Rita Ferguson- Community Manager, Wallick Communities

Additional project partners include Hooker DeJong and RiverHills Bank.

The Ashford on Broad Ranked First Among Columbus Assisted Living Communities for Resident Satisfaction

The Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, a division of the Ohio Department of Aging, has released results of the 2017 Long-Term Care Resident Satisfaction Survey. This survey, conducted through face-to-face interviews with residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, assessed residents’ satisfaction with an array of subjects related to their care and everyday life.

The statewide average satisfaction score for assisted living facilities was 85.2 out of 100. With an overall score of 92.4, The Ashford on Broad ranked first among Columbus assisted living communities for resident satisfaction. In addition to overall satisfaction, the survey measured how well specific aspects of the facility met the residents’ needs and expectations. The attached image shows The Ashford on Broad’s scores for each aspect and how it compared to the statewide average.

The Ashford on Broad’s excellent ratings also placed the community in the top 10% of all assisted living communities in Ohio. Congratulations to the team members that made The Ashford on Broad one of the best care facilities in the state!

 

Wallick Ranks Second on Cincinnati MHA’s Preferred Developer List

On Tuesday, the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (Cincinnati MHA) Board approved Wallick Communities as one of six preferred developers that the organization will partner with over the next couple years to help reposition the existing public housing stock in its portfolio. Wallick was one of eleven firms that responded to the Request for Proposal. Upon completion of the submittal evaluation and interview process, Wallick received a second position ranking with a score of 94.2 out of a possible 115. Wallick’s score was less than two points below Michaels Development Company, which placed first with 95.4. Other firms to make the list were:

  • Pennrose Development
  • Gorman & Company
  • Telesis Corporation
  • Wabuck Development Company

Through this partnership opportunity, Wallick could be selected to develop one or more projects with Cincinnati MHA. Congratulations to those who made this partnership possible. Because of your hard work and dedication, Wallick is now positioned among leading affordable housing developers from across the country.