Columbus Civic Center (Ohio)

Last updated February 21, 2024

Interactive map of district;
1988-proposed boundaries and properties marked in red; see also
map of riverfront parks

The Columbus Civic Center is a civic center, a collection of government buildings, museums, and open park space in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. The site is located along the Scioto Mile recreation area and historically was directly on the banks of the Scioto River.

The civic center includes Columbus City Hall, the Ohio Judicial Center, Central High School (now the COSI science museum), the Joseph P. Kinneary United States Courthouse, and the former Central Police Station. It also included the Scioto River Bridge Group. Also sometimes included in the civic center are the LeVeque Tower ^[1] and newer government office additions to the area, including the Front Street office buildings, the since-demolished Franklin County Veterans Memorial and Columbus Public Health office in Franklinton,^[2] as well as the newer Michael B. Coleman Government Center and current Columbus Division of Police Headquarters.

Following a local version of the City Beautiful movement, the Columbus Plan first envisioned a riverfront civic center in 1908. The Great Flood of 1913 destroyed many riverfront structures, allowing the opportunity to redevelop according to the 1908 plan. Columbus's most prominent architect, Frank Packard, spearheaded the project until his unexpected death in 1923. The Neoclassical, Renaissance Revival, and Art Deco buildings, bridges, and retaining wall were built from 1917 to 1934. In 1988, the area was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places as the Columbus Civic Center Historic District.

Historic district

The Columbus Civic Center Historic District is a historic district comprising most of the civic center. It includes Central High School (NRHP-listed, 1924), Columbus City Hall (built 1928), the former Central Police Station (1930), the Ohio Judicial Center (NRHP-listed, 1933), and the Joseph P. Kinneary United States Courthouse (NRHP-listed, 1934).^[3] It also includes the riverfront retaining wall, spanning from Broad to Town Streets. The c. 1921 Scioto River Bridge Group (comprising the Broad Street, Town Street, and Main Street Bridges) was listed, though the bridges were replaced in recent decades by the Discovery Bridge, the Rich Street Bridge, and a new Main Street Bridge. The Front Street office buildings were included as non-contributing buildings.^[4]

The historic district's nomination to the National Register of Historic Places was prepared in the late 1980s by the City of Columbus's Economic Development Division. The district was determined to be eligible for the National Register on September 14, 1988, due to its association with community planning, engineering, government, and transportation in the city, and for its Art Deco, Neoclassical, and Renaissance Revival architecture.^[4] Even though its suitability was confirmed, the district was never listed.^[3]

History

When Columbus was founded, the only planned green spaces downtown were around the Ohio Statehouse and in front of the Carnegie Library. The 1908 Columbus Plan recommended more green spaces, public promenades, and beautification. The plan urged the removal of the numerous factories, coal yards, boarding houses, and tenements stretching along the riverfront downtown. The city's prison, storage facilities, and a junk shop were also located on the riverfront there. Overall, about two dozen buildings deposited untreated sewage directly into the Scioto and Olentangy rivers between Clintonville and the South Side. The cleanup was urged to present a positive view of the city for travelers on the National Road entering Columbus from the west.^[5]^[6]

Following a local version of the City Beautiful movement, the Columbus Plan first envisioned a riverfront civic center in 1908. The plan aimed to visually unite both banks of the river along with the nearby Capitol Square, and build classically-inspired yet simple buildings, surrounded by open spaces, parks, and parkways. Development was slow, though the Great Flood of 1913 in Columbus dramatically affected the area, destroying many riverfront buildings and both of its bridges. It gave the city the opportunity to redevelop the riverfront into its planned civic center, though with added flood control - a retaining wall and low head dam. The civic center layout was expanded to two to three times its original size. From 1917 to 1922, the Broad Street and Town Street Bridges, parallel Neoclassical structures, were built, along with the still-intact retaining wall between the bridges.^[7]^[3] In the early 1920s, the plan included a Masonic temple at the current site of the federal courthouse, and a park for World War I veterans at the site of the Judicial Center.^[6]

The old Columbus City Hall was destroyed in a fire in 1921, allowing a new city hall to be built within the new civic center. In 1923, architect Frank Packard began a new civic center plan. He was Columbus's most prominent architect at the time, and organized the Allied Architects Association of Columbus to work on the civic center plan. Packard died later that year while working on the plan, before any of its buildings were built. The bridges, and other riverfront structures were already under construction or complete, but it led to the city planning its police station there, as well as an office building for state departments, and later the federal government moving its post office and courthouse from its former Capitol Square location to the new civic center.^[3] In 1924, Central High School opened, the first building built along the river since the 1908 plan was published. The school was designed following the plan, and its stone facade and scale acted as a link between the planned government buildings on the east bank with the school on the west.^[7]^[8] The site's government buildings were built next, between 1926 and 1934. Other government buildings, offices, and museums have been built in the civic center in years since.

Gallery

Riverside condition in 1908
Illustration of the 1908 civic center proposal
C. 1923, as the riverfront cleanup began
Billy Ireland cartoon for the Columbus Dispatch in 1926, urging more prompt redevelopment
The completed civic center, 1936
Historical marker
Plaque commemorating the civic center, bridges, and related riverfront improvements

Related Research Articles

Columbus is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest after Chicago, and the third-most populous U.S. state capital after Phoenix, Arizona and Austin, Texas. Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County; it also extends into Delaware and Fairfield counties. It is the core city of the Columbus metropolitan area, which encompasses ten counties in central Ohio. It had a population of 2,138,926 in 2020, making it the largest metropolitan area entirely in Ohio and 32nd-largest metro area in the U.S.

The Scioto River is a river in central and southern Ohio more than 231 miles (372 km) in length. It rises in Hardin County just north of Roundhead, Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, flows south into Appalachian Ohio, and meets the Ohio River at Portsmouth. Early settlers and Native Americans used the river for shipping, but it is too small for modern commercial craft. The primary economic importance for the river now is for recreation and drinking water. It is the longest river that is entirely within Ohio.

Franklinton is a neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, just west of its downtown. Settled in 1797, Franklinton is the first American settlement in Franklin County, and was the county seat until 1824. As the city of Columbus grew, the city annexed and incorporated the existing settlement in 1859. Franklinton is bordered by the Scioto River on the north and east, Harmon Avenue on the east, Stimmel Road and Greenlawn Avenue on the south, and Interstate 70 on the west. Its main thoroughfare is West Broad Street, one of the city's two main roads.

Downtown Columbus is the central business district of Columbus, Ohio. Downtown is centered on the intersection of Broad and High Streets, and encompasses all of the area inside the Inner Belt. Downtown is home to most of the tallest buildings in Columbus.

The Civic Center Historic District is located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It flanks both the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers and their confluence. The district has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988. It is part of The City Beautiful Movement and City Planning in Des Moines, Iowa 1892—1938 MPS.

Richards, McCarty & Bulford was an American architectural firm. The General Services Administration has called the firm the "preeminent" architectural firm of the city of Columbus, Ohio. A number of the firm's works are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The firm operated until 1943.

The Meigs County Courthouse is a local government building in Pomeroy, Ohio, United States. Built in the 1840s in this Ohio River village, it serves as the seat of government for Meigs County, and it is one of Ohio's oldest courthouses still used for its original purpose.

Columbus City Hall is the city hall of Columbus, Ohio, in the city's downtown Civic Center. It contains the offices of the city's mayor, auditor, and treasurer, and the offices and chambers of Columbus City Council.

Columbus, the capital city of Ohio, was founded on the east bank of the Scioto River in 1812. The city was founded as its capitol, beside the town of Franklinton, since incorporated into Columbus. The city's early history was gradual, as residents dealt with flooding and cholera epidemics, and the city had few direct connections to other cities. This led creation of a feeder canal, and later, freight and passenger railroads. The city became known for its industry and commercial businesses into the 20th century, though it experienced a lull in development in the late 20th century. In the 21st century, Columbus has been increasingly revitalized, led by parks projects, new developments, and efforts to beautify individual neighborhoods.

The Discovery Bridge, commonly known as the Broad Street Bridge, is a bridge in Columbus, Ohio, United States, carrying Broad Street over the Scioto River and connecting Downtown Columbus to Franklinton. The bridge was named in reference to Christopher Columbus's "discovery" of the Americas; the bridge includes artistic bronze medallions featuring symbols of the explorer.

The Rich Street Bridge is a bridge in Columbus, Ohio, United States, spanning the Scioto River and connecting downtown's Rich Street to Franklinton's Town Street. It carries U.S. Route 62 (US 62) and Ohio State Route 3 (SR 3). The bridge was completed in 2012.

The Scioto Mile is a collection of parks and trails along both banks of the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio, connecting parts of the Scioto Greenway Trail with downtown Columbus and Franklinton. The nine parks cover 145 acres (59 ha).

The Scioto Mile Promenade, also known simply as the Promenade, is a public park and promenade in downtown Columbus, Ohio. The park is part of the Scioto Mile network of parks and trails around the city's downtown area, and has a riverwalk stretching along the east bank of the Scioto River, from Battelle Riverfront Park to Bicentennial Park.

The Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center is a state courthouse, office building, and library in Columbus, Ohio, in the city's downtown Civic Center. The building is the headquarters of the Supreme Court of Ohio, the state's highest court, as well as the Ohio Court of Claims and Ohio Judicial Conference. The judicial center is named after the court's former chief justice Thomas J. Moyer.

The Joseph P. Kinneary United States Courthouse is a federal courthouse in Columbus, Ohio, in the city's downtown Civic Center. It was formerly known as the U.S. Post Office and Court House. It was designed by Richards, McCarty & Bulford and was completed in 1934. The supervising architect was James A. Wetmore. It was renamed for Joseph P. Kinneary in 1998. It is still in use by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

Broad Street is a major thoroughfare in Central Ohio, predominantly in Franklin County and Columbus. It stretches east from West Jefferson at Little Darby Creek to Pataskala. The street is considered one of Columbus's two main roads, along with High Street.

The Great Flood of 1913 severely affected Columbus, Ohio. The area most affected was Franklinton, also known as the Bottoms, for its low elevation near the Scioto River. Among many infrastructure projects, a 7.2-mile floodwall was built from 1993 to 2004 to protect most of Franklinton from flooding.

The Kahiki Supper Club was a Polynesian-themed restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. The supper club was one of the largest tiki-themed restaurants in the United States, and for a time, the only one in Ohio. It operated at its Eastmoor location on Broad Street beginning in 1961, at the height of tiki culture's popularity. The Kahiki was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, but closed and was demolished in 2000. It was described as an exceptionally important example of a themed restaurant and the most elaborate tiki restaurant ever built.

77 North Front Street is a municipal office building of Columbus, Ohio, in the city's downtown Civic Center. The building, originally built as the Central Police Station in 1930, operated in that function until 1991. After about two decades of vacancy, the structure was renovated for city agency use in 2011.

The Scioto River Bridge Group was a set of historic bridges in Columbus, Ohio. The bridges were:

References

↑ Perkins, Michael A. (2005). Leveque: The First Complete Story of Columbus' Greatest Skyscraper. AuthorHouse. p. 15. ISBN 9781468518962. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2021-11-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
1 2 3 4 "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". National Park Service. 2016. Archived from the original on March 22, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
1 2 "Main Street Dam Removal & Scioto Greenways Feasibility Study". Stantec. 2012. pp. 14–15. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
↑ Motz, Doug (August 10, 2011). "History Lesson: The Downtown Columbus Riverfront". Columbus Underground. Archived from the original on June 23, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
1 2 Seymour, Jon (April 2, 2020). "Weird Columbus History: The Ohio Departments of State Building Explosion". Columbus Navigator. Archived from the original on April 27, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
1 2 National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. File Unit: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Ohio, 1964 - 2013. National Park Service. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
↑ Carlson, Wayne (2016). "Frank L. Packard". Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Historical Society. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[LeVeque-1] Perkins, Michael A. (2005). Leveque: The First Complete Story of Columbus' Greatest Skyscraper. AuthorHouse. p. 15. ISBN 9781468518962. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2020.

[2] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2021-11-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[Kinneary-3] 1 2 3 4 "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". National Park Service. 2016. Archived from the original on March 22, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2020.

[Feasibility-4] 1 2 "Main Street Dam Removal & Scioto Greenways Feasibility Study". Stantec. 2012. pp. 14–15. Retrieved December 16, 2022.

[history-5] Motz, Doug (August 10, 2011). "History Lesson: The Downtown Columbus Riverfront". Columbus Underground. Archived from the original on June 23, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2020.

[Seymour-6] 1 2 Seymour, Jon (April 2, 2020). "Weird Columbus History: The Ohio Departments of State Building Explosion". Columbus Navigator. Archived from the original on April 27, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.

[CHS-7] 1 2 National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. File Unit: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Ohio, 1964 - 2013. National Park Service. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2020.

[8] Carlson, Wayne (2016). "Frank L. Packard". Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Historical Society. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]