A new Catholic community for seniors is coming to the Plain City-Dublin area in 2027.
The Villas of St. Therese Plain City, sponsored by the Diocese of Columbus and operated by Ohio Living, has begun to accept priority list applications for the independent and assisted living complex that will offer 209 apartments when finished in summer 2027.
A refundable $1,000 deposit with a completed application, which can be found at www.thevillasofst.org, is required upfront to become a part of the project. In early 2025, all those who made an initial deposit will be given an opportunity to decide whether or not to move forward, make an additional deposit and then select an apartment style.
Msgr. Joseph Hendricks, the bishop’s delegate for community relations, said the new Villas at St. Therese has been in the works for almost nine years.
“It began as a project to add another site for senior living,” Msgr. Hendricks said. “After COVID and the inability of HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) to fund the project, we began again with a consultant and study to test the concept of senior living and to expand the availability of more units.”
The Villas at St. Therese Plain City is located off U.S. Route 33 just north of Post Road in an area between Dublin and Plain City. Of the 209 apartments, 173 are designated for independent living and 36 for assisted living.
Residents must be age 55 or older. “It’s a Catholic facility, but it’s open to anyone,” Msgr. Hendricks said.
The Plain City location will be the second Villas at St. Therese in the diocese. The Villas of St. Therese in Columbus at 5253 E. Broad St. has existed on the east side since the late 1990s. The Mother Angeline McCrory Manor for memory assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation was added in 2005.
The Columbus senior-care complex is affiliated with the not-for-profit Carmelite System sponsored by the Carmelite Sisters of the Aged and Infirmed. It is not connected with the Villas at St. Therese Plain City.
The centerpiece of the Plain City property will be a Catholic chapel for Masses, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, prayers and various devotional activities. The sacraments will be provided by retired priests living at the facility.
“Sacramental care is the number one priority,” said Joel Wrobbel, marketing director for Ohio Living, which is managing the property. “It’s a beautiful chapel.”
An architectural sketch of the chapel can be viewed at the website as well as the other buildings. There are three one-bedroom floor plans ranging from 649 square feet to 980 square feet and six two-bedroom options from 1,091 square feet to 1,551 square feet.
All but one layout includes a patio or balcony. Each apartment has a fully-equipped kitchen, individually controlled heat and air conditioning, spacious closets, laundry room with washer and dryer, walk-in showers with grab bars and an emergency call system.
In addition to the chapel, indoor amenities include formal and private dining rooms, fitness center, salon, library, game room, lockers and a therapy gym. Outdoor amenities feature two courtyards, planters for outdoor gardening, yard game area, putting green, fire pit, bocce ball court, pickleball courts, shelter and outdoor movie area and garage parking.
Residents will have access to healthy meals, medical care and a variety of social and spiritual activities.
Wrobbel pointed out that the Villas are within three miles of Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare Church and that there’s easy access to shopping, restaurants, parks and recreation.
Ohio Living owns and operates 11 life plan communities throughout Ohio and also provides home health and hospice care in 51 of the state’s 88 counties. The faith-based organization was founded in 1922.
More information regarding fees and costs for the Villas of St. Therese Plain City is available on the website. Wrobbel can be reached at 614-653-2993 or jwrobbel@ohioliving.org.