Wallick Communities will bring 90 jobs to New Albany when it moves its headquarters to the city.

The business will move into Market and Main II, a 48,000-square-foot office space being developed in a joint venture between Daimler Group and the New Albany Co., said project spokeswoman Lisa Hinson.

Wallick is a 50-year-old business focused on providing affordable housing and senior living, said CEO Tom Feusse. Business units include real-estate development, construction, property management and asset management.

The company has been headquartered off Tussing Road in Columbus, just south of Reynoldsburg but with a Reynoldsburg mailing address, for 34 years and will move to New Albany in mid-October, Feusse said.

The business has 800 total associations and adds about 150 jobs every year, Feusse said. Those jobs primarily are the management of Wallick’s 200 apartment, assisted-living and memory-care communities, he said.

New Albany’s “walkability” was the primary reason for the move, Feusse said. Employees will be able to access leisure paths, restaurants and the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany, he said.

“We just felt like that was a healthier working environment for our associates,” he said.

The building’s construction also gives company officials the opportunity to create a new space for employees, he said.

“We’re really excited for that opportunity,” he said.

Wallick will move into an 18,000-square-foot space on the second floor of the building under construction at 160 W. Main St.

Hinson said shops, eateries and service providers on the first floor of the building will be announced in the coming months.

“New Albany’s village center has always been an important component of the master plan for the community, not only for residents but for the 14,000-plus people employed at the business park, ” said New Albany Co. President Bill Ebbing in a written statement. “We continue to focus on creating a walkable destination where residents and employees can easily access amenities like the library, the arts center, the school(-district) campus, Village Hall, the health center, shops, offices, restaurants and more.”

By Sarah Sole
From This Week Community News