ADVERTISEMENT

    Demolition Begins on Douglas Elementary School Site

    Demolition got under way today on the Douglas Alternative Elementary School site in the Olde Towne East neighborhood.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    The Columbus Board of Education voted in January of 2020 to sell the 3.9 acre Douglas site and Columbus City Council signed off on the plan to purchase it in July of the same year. Columbus Recreation and Parks purchased the property, as well as the 11 acre Stockbridge Elementary School site at 3350 S. Champion Ave., for the appraised value of $1.99M ($1,650,000, for Douglas and $340,000, for Stockbridge, as approved by the Columbus Board of Education in August of 2020).

    The building was located at 51 S. Douglas Street and is slated to become the new Fran Ryan Center (formerly named the Broad Street Arts and Senior Creative Campus) for the city’s Recreation and Parks Department. It was former councilmember Fran Ryan’s dedication to the wellbeing of seniors in our community, various housing initiatives, and much more that earned her the designation.

    The parks department said on the project’s update page that the existing building would not be able to be reused. The new building will house the Golden Hobby Gift Shop (currently at 549 Franklin Ave), as well as the maker and wellness spaces of the Martin Janis Senior Arts Program. It will also offer new programs and amenities open to all residents and include a park.

    “This state-of-the-art facility will house creative programming and wellness activities for Columbus’ older adult community while providing them with a place in which they can gather to share and create new experiences,” said Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Director Bernita A. Reese at the October 21, 2022 groundbreaking event.

    Construction on the Fran Ryan Center is scheduled to begin in Spring/Summer of 2023 and plans to be completed by Fall of 2024.

    A rendering of the new Fran Ryan Center.
    A rendering of the new Fran Ryan Center, by Moody Nolan.

    Demolition photos by Anne Evans.

    If you’d like to keep up with updates on the Fran Ryan Center, visit columbusrecparks.com.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Subscribe

    More to Explore:

    The Confluence Cast: Grave Matters – Unearthing the North Graveyard

    There is often a complex interplay between preservation and progress. A year into his exploration, Columbus Underground reporter Jesse Bethea continues to sift through the story of how the removal of remains from what was once the North Market parking lot unfolded. From the contentious removal of centuries-old graves to the forensic analysis of unearthed remains, today’s episode navigates the ethical, legal, and emotional complexities surrounding the issue.  In the quest to honor the past while embracing the future, we examine what lies beneath the surface of urban development and confront the ghosts of history that still shape our city today.

    ‘Experimental Museum’ Planned for Whittier Peninsula

    A local company plans to bring a "first-of-its-kind experimental...

    Upscale Apartment Complex Planned for Gahanna

    As Columbus suburb Gahanna continues to evolve, one question lingers: What's next for the city's residential scene? Enter Elliott Parc.

    Housing Planned for Key Corner Across From Columbus State Campus

    Columbus State Community College and Woda Cooper Companies announced...

    Downtown Population Hits 12,000 Mark With 3,400 More Units in the Pipeline

    The annual "State of Downtown" report from the The Capital Crossroads & Discovery District Special Improvement Districts (SID) was released on Wednesday, containing the latest numbers on Downtown's growth.
    Anne Evans
    Anne Evanshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-evans/
    Anne Evans is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations for The Metropreneur and Columbus Underground. She regularly contributes feature stories on both sites, as well as Mega Weekend each week. She has started and grown businesses, created experiences, forged community partnerships, and worked to create opportunities for others. She loves meeting new neighbors and those making an impact in our community. Want to connect?
    ADVERTISEMENT