The Westerville News reported on a sign review involving custard flavors. This summer, Joe Schertzinger, the owner of Whit's on State Street, brought a portable sandwich sign to Westerville's Uptown Review Board, black metal frame, interchangeable magnetic panels for the daily and weekly flavors. The frame met every written guideline. The dimensions were fine. Some magnets were white, and the board's rules cap sandwich boards at four colors. According to the report, staff wanted every magnet to match in background color, font, and size. The report quoted Schertzinger: "They're different colors." The board debated for nearly 40 minutes, took a tied vote, called a motion to reconsider, and eventually decided white doesn't count as one of the seven colors already in play.
The sign review illustrates the board's role. The City of Westerville says the same board reviews exterior changes such as siding, windows, and fences.
Two Different Kinds Of "Historic"
Most listings for homes in Uptown Westerville mention a historic designation somewhere in the description, and it usually gets read the way a lot of real estate copy gets read: as flavor text. Charming. Reassuring. Not something that changes what you can actually do with the house.
That reading misses an important split. Uptown Westerville carries two separate historic identities, and only one of them regulates anything.
The first is the National Register listing. Uptown Westerville Inc. successfully nominated the commercial district to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019, and the Westerville Historical Society counts 57 contributing structures inside it. That designation recognizes the district's significance. It does not require an owner to ask permission before repainting a porch or replacing a window.
The second is the city's own Architectural Review District, created under Chapter 1149 of Westerville's code and enforced by the seven-member Uptown Review Board. This is the local designation tied to review. If your home sits inside the boundary, check whether exterior changes visible from the public right of way require a Certificate of Appropriateness before work begins. The Westerville News reported that local preservation staff explained that the National Register recognizes significance, while the local board and its regulations protect and preserve the district's character over time.
For buyers planning exterior work, whether a property is inside the district boundary is a relevant consideration.
What Actually Needs A Certificate Of Appropriateness
The Uptown Review Board's authority isn't limited to storefronts. The city's description identifies these types of exterior work for review; whether a particular change is covered may depend on its visibility from the public right of way:
- New construction and building additions
- Facade renovations and changes to exterior materials
- Window and door replacement
- Signage and awnings
- Paint color changes
- Building demolition
- Landscaping elements, including fences, walls, and walkways
Some smaller changes can be approved administratively, without a full hearing. If you're picturing a weekend project, that's the wrong scale to plan around for anything visible from the street.
Planning Around The Review Board Calendar
The board's schedule is one factor in planning exterior work. The Uptown Review Board meets once a month, on the first Thursday, at City Council Chambers on South State Street. If you close on a home in early September and want new siding installed before the weather turns, include the next meeting date in your timeline alongside contractor availability.
That schedule is one practical consideration to weigh alongside the market context below.
What This Does To The Numbers
Market figures offer additional context for homes in the historic segment.
Across Westerville overall, the market has been moving briskly. Over the three months ending June 2026, homes sold for a median price of $490,000, up 9.3% from the same period a year earlier, and the typical home received about 2 offers and sold in around 30 days. Listing activity into August 2026 told a similar story of quick turnover, with median days on market holding around 37 days citywide.
Homes inside the older, historic-character segment of the market don't move at quite the same pace. Looking at active listings right now, only about 9 vintage homes are on the market in Westerville, carrying a median list price of $440,000, a typical marketing time of 35 days, and an average of just 1 offer per listing, roughly half the offer activity the broader market sees.
None of that means demand for these homes is weak. Original hardwood floors, wraparound porches, and a walk to State Street are still real draws, and buyers keep shortlisting Westerville's historic core for exactly those reasons. The figures show a lower offer count in this segment, but they do not establish what accounts for the difference. Buyers can weigh a property's condition, location, price, and applicable exterior-review requirements when considering it.
These figures offer context for pricing and marketing, but they do not show that renovation requirements are driving buyer behavior. If you're selling a home in the district, its finished condition and any applicable review requirements may be useful to explain to prospective buyers. If you're buying, a home that has been on the market a little longer may simply be waiting for the right fit; consider its condition, price, and any applicable exterior-review requirements before drawing conclusions.
Questions Worth Asking Before You Write An Offer
If you're considering a home in the Uptown core, a few questions early can save a lot of surprise later:
- Is this specific parcel inside the Architectural Review District boundary, or just near Uptown? Proximity to State Street doesn't automatically mean the same rules apply.
- Has any exterior work on this home already gone through the board? A prior Certificate of Appropriateness on file can tell you what's already been approved and what precedent exists for similar changes.
- If you're planning a specific exterior project, would it likely qualify for administrative approval or require a full hearing?
- Does your timeline depend on finishing exterior work by a certain date? If so, check the board's meeting schedule before you assume a contractor's calendar is the only constraint.
None of this should scare a buyer away from a home with a wraparound porch and a plaque marking its place on a walking tour. It should just move the renovation conversation earlier, before the inspection period closes, not after the moving truck arrives.
A Couple Of Quick Questions
Does the review board control what I do inside the house? No. The board's authority covers exterior changes visible from the public right of way, things like siding, windows, additions, fences, and signage. Interior renovations aren't part of this review.
What if I just want to repaint the same color it already is? Even color changes fall under the board's list of reviewed items, so it's worth checking whether your specific plan needs a hearing or qualifies for the administrative approval track before you buy paint.
Buying a home with real history behind it is one of the more rewarding parts of choosing Uptown Westerville, and it's worth doing with your eyes open about what that history actually requires of you as an owner. If you're weighing a home in the district, or anywhere else across Westerville, Galloway, Hilliard, Grove City, Gahanna, or Columbus, Castro Group can walk through what a specific property's history means for your plans before you're locked into a contract. Let's Connect.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
