Board approves Infinite Church design after discussion of north-side buffering

The New Albany Architectural Review Board voted unanimously on Sept. 14 to approve a certificate of appropriateness for a new 46,744-square-foot church proposed along Walton Parkway, outside the village center.

City staff (S5) said the board’s review was limited to architectural appropriateness; landscaping, parking and related site improvements will be evaluated later by the planning commission. Staff described the design — white brick, roof forms, and vertically proportioned windows — as compatible with the surrounding commercial corridor and consistent with section 8 of the DGRs.

Applicant representatives (S4) emphasized sensitivity to the Cedar Brook neighborhood to the north, saying they had intentionally lowered the roofline on the north elevation and planned an extension of the existing tree buffer along the property line. "We intentionally brought the scale down on the north elevation out of sensitivity to the fact that within about a 140 feet from that elevation are residential homes," the presenter said (S4).

Board members probed the north façade, asking whether the design constitutes "four-sided" architecture and whether more articulation or landscaping should be required. The applicant pointed to clearstory windows and other articulation on the east, west and south elevations and noted a no-build zone and an extension of the existing vegetative buffer along the northern boundary.

The board approved the certificate of appropriateness; staff reiterated that details such as parking lot screening and final landscape plans will be handled through the planning commission and permit review. The applicant and city architect will coordinate on final materials and details prior to construction.