Renovation work has started on the 110-year-old Central Union Telephone Building at 33 N. Third St.
Mike Vannest, Marketing Coordinator for the E.V. Bishoff Company, said that the first phase of the project will primarily focus on the third floor of the building, where a dropped ceiling will be removed and the original hardwood floors restored.
Also planned as part of the renovation – which got started last month and will continue throughout 2019 – are new glass-walled offices, wifi-enabled thermostats and some repair of the building’s brick exterior.
E.V. Bishoff purchased the building in 1988 and soon moved its headquarters there. It had been occupied by Ohio National Bank for over 40 years, and before that by Ohio Bell. Completed in 1909, the building served as the central switchboard for the Central Union Telephone Company until 1921.
“We are excited to bring the history of this building back to life,” said company president David Bishoff in a statement. “This building’s history is something many people do not know about in Columbus and our goal is to bring the building’s past back to life with several upgrades for our potential office clients.”
The project marks the latest in a string of renovations of historic buildings Downtown. The goal is to capitalize on what many have described as a strong demand from potential office tenants for spaces with unique layouts and historic details.
The Central Union Telephone Building was designed by Richards, Bulford and McCarty, a local architecture firm with plenty of familiar Columbus landmarks in its portfolio, including the Athletic Club, the Columbus Museum of Art, and the Lazarus Building.