Construction projects moving into high gear at Columbus State

Campus News | Monday, June 16, 2025

Above, Franklin Hall during construction in the late 1970s.

Parts of the Columbus Campus will soon transform into construction sites. Two major projects begin this summer; a third will break ground in 2026.

Franklin Hall is the first site where activity will be noticeable. Built in the late 1970s, the three-story, 42,000-square-foot structure has never been renovated. It has housed classrooms and offices since its opening. The interior will be gutted and transformed into a dedicated instructional center, with modern classrooms and labs designed to support active, collaborative teaching and learning.

The $35 million project will begin in late summer 2025. Completion is expected by the end of 2026. Franklin Hall is scheduled to reopen for classes in Spring Semester 2027.

In September, work will begin on the $66.5 million 80,000-square-foot OhioHealth Hall. It is part of the college’s plan to double enrollment in nursing and four other key healthcare fields.

Funding for these two projects is provided by Franklin County bond proceeds approved by voters in 2020. (A $25-million endowment from OhioHealth will support instructional and administrative needs as college healthcare programs grow.)

In 2026, construction will begin on the Opportunity Pointe affordable housing complex, which will include 166 units of workforce housing and 20 dedicated units for Columbus State Community College students. Recently awarded federal tax credits will assist in funding in this unique public-private partnership to expand affordable housing options in the neighborhood adjacent to the campus.

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (“OHFA”) has awarded Woda Cooper 9% tax credits for each of the two phases of Opportunity Pointe, which will be built along Cleveland Avenue between East Spring and East Long streets.

 

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