After decades of neglect and gradual deterioration, a portion of the building located at 435 West Town Street in Franklinton is expected to see demolition within the next several months. The two-story section of the building on the south side of the property facing Walnut Street has long been without a roof, and signs on the side of the building facing the parking lot at 400 West Rich have long warned visitors to stay at least 15 feet away from the building.
“We’ve worked with the Building and Zoning department to obtain the proper compliance orders to move the demolition forward, as it currently has an unsafe building order,” explained Chris Sherman, a project manager with Urban Smart Growth. “Lance [Robbins, Principal and Manager of Urban Smart Growth] has a big soft spot for wanting to save old buildings, so this was a sad decision for him to make.”
Sherman explained that after extensive research and study with contractors, it was determined that it would take an estimated $3.5 million just to stabilize the 39,000 square foot building. The concrete ceiling between the first and second floors is collapsing and would need completely rebuilt, amongst other major structural issues.
“A full build out for commercial and retail use would be around $5 million,” added Sherman. “Economically, it just doesn’t make sense.”
Instead, Urban Smart Growth is proposing to eventually construct a new three-story building with approximately 34,000 square feet of office space and around 3,400 square feet of event and kitchen space. The new structure would be built adjacent to the preserved 6,700 square foot single-story portion of the older building that faces Town Street, which is also planned as event or restaurant space. The building would contain no parking, with future plans for a structured garage on an adjacent parcel still in a conceptual phase.
Urban Smart Growth purchased the 81-year-old building in 2011, after completing extensive environmental studies on the property. Contamination was discovered underground, which isn’t surprising considering that in addition to aluminum manufacturing, the building was home to uranium processing that was contracted for the top secret Manhattan Project, which led to the development of the atomic bomb.
The site has been given a clean bill of health following the remediation process, and demolition is scheduled to proceed sometime within the next two months. Sherman said the process will be slow-going, as some windows still have to be removed separately, and his team is planning to save as many bricks as possible from the structure.
Similar to the neighboring Lucas Lofts project, there is no timeline currently in place for the start of construction for the three story replacement building. Sherman explained that this projects have been moving slowly through city processes and that construction financing has not yet been secured.
When asked if the ability to secure financing might become easier after other new development gets underway, Sherman said “of course”. A nearby proposal for a large-scale mixed-use development from CASTO and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) is slated for review at tonight’s East Franklinton Review Board meeting.
“That might be the best strategy here,” he stated. “If CASTO and CMHA can break ground within a certain time frame, or someone else who can self-finance breaks ground, it will make it much easier for us to move forward with financing.”
Meanwhile, renovation work continues across the street at 289 West Walnut, where another warehouse building is undergoing a conversion into art studios and small office space. The building recently received a new roof, and Sherman is expecting to have spaces available for rent there later this year.
All photos by Walker Evans.
