Beggs Building under construction in 1927. The Ohio Theater is on the left. From FB

 

From FB - 1963, The Rowland Building on the northeast corner of Broad and 3rd. It was torn down later in 1963 to make way for the City National (Chase) building. You can see the Sheraton (now Renaissance) under construction on the left and the Athletic Club on the right.

 

^Relatively simple, but attractive building. 

Ohio History Museum construction at I-71 and 17th, 1969. 
 

 

And finished in 1970. From the Ohio History Connection web site:

 

“Upon its opening in 1970, the American Institute of Architects applauded the Center as a "bold, imaginative, almost startling structure." Architectural Record, in a July 1971 article, called it "no doubt the most architecturally significant public structure built in Ohio since the State Capitol Building." W. Byron Ireland & Associates, a Columbus architectural firm, designed the Ohio History Center building. The building is an example of "Brutalism," a rational, structuralist, monumental style exported in the early 1950s by French and British architects. Distinguished by its structural honesty and undisguised, blunt use of materials, Brutalism departed from conventional bourgeois styles.”

 

 

I love the building. Inside and out.

I have to admit I dislike the building. I wish it would have another function and the Historical Society main building function could be relocated close to or within downtown Cbus- But not necessarily to the Scioto Peninsula. Maybe closer to the Art Museum and CCAD or something-not like they don't have a ton of huge lots around the city college there.

 

That said, it is a perfectly decent functional building so I don't want it demolished or anything. And I will admit while I don't like it, it is iconic whether I like it or not.  The degree of openness around it also does enhance the stature of the building.  I guess I just dislike it as the main center of the Historical Society-otherwise it would be ok and alright even a bit cool. 

Edited May 31, 20214 yr by Toddguy
spelling,etc.

On 5/31/2021 at 10:33 AM, Toddguy said:

I have to admit I dislike the building. I wish it would have another function and the Historical Society main building function could be relocated close to or within downtown Cbus- But not necessarily to the Scioto Peninsula. Maybe closer to the Art Museum and CCAD or something-not like they don't have a ton of huge lots around the city college there.

 

That said, it is a perfectly decent functional building so I don't want it demolished or anything. And I will admit while I don't like it, it is iconic whether I like it or not.  The degree of openness around it also does enhance the stature of the building.  I guess I just dislike it as the main center of the Historical Society-otherwise it would be ok and alright even a bit cool. 

 

Agree wholeheartedly. I've grown to appreciate the building in its brutalist grandeur, but would far prefer a more accessible and central location and a more open and modern building to showcase the history of Ohio. The current building works well as a repository, but to really display collection pieces, it should be in a different kind of building. As far as location, I'd love to see an extension of the Historical Society built on the last open parcel of the peninsula along the waterfront. It would be great to combine it with a city museum as well. I think it would become more of an attraction there rather than tucked into the Discovery District - not that I would be opposed to it being located there if the opportunity presented itself.

2 minutes ago, CMHOhio said:

 

Agree wholeheartedly. I've grown to appreciate the building in its brutalist grandeur, but would far prefer a more accessible and central location and a more open and modern building to showcase the history of Ohio. The current building works well as a repository, but to really display collection pieces, it should be in a different kind of building. As far as location, I'd love to see an extension of the Historical Society built on the last open parcel of the peninsula along the waterfront. It would be great to combine it with a city museum as well. I think it would become more of an attraction there rather than tucked into the Discovery District - not that I would be opposed to it being located there if the opportunity presented itself.

The only reason I specifically said no to the Peninsula is because I want something even better in that little triangle by the river. But if nothing else, then I agree that would be a good place. I want something a bit more "arty" to go with the nearby East Franklinton district-but it probably won't happen. I would want something big for riverside triangle site too-at least 250,000 square feet. A hybrid type thing with several uses might work there. And they need to have a damn bar/ restaurant with outdoor seating-preferably rooftop for the views.

Park and Vine, circa 1940 and today. Note the streetcar tracks. 
 

 

I wonder when that bridge over the railroad got replaced by the overpass.

On 8/13/2021 at 12:06 PM, GCrites80s said:

I wonder when that bridge over the railroad got replaced by the overpass.

My guess is when they built the original innerbelt, early 50s.

On 8/14/2021 at 8:32 PM, Magyar said:

My guess is when they built the original innerbelt, early 50s.

 

Per the aerials on Historicaerials.com the bridge was rebuilt sometime between 1957 and 1963.

The Ohio Theater in 1928. This is from the Library of Congress and there are tons of photos here:

https://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?va=exact&sp=1&q=Ohio--Franklin+County--Columbus&fi=place&sg=true&op=EQUAL 

Bus terminal - late 40's or early 50's? Looking north from Rich between High and 3rd. You can see the Statehouse rotunda. I believe that's Town St just beyond the buses. The building at the middle top of the photo is the back of the Hartman Hotel which was located at 3rd and State.

 

I'm kinda sorry I found this because I won't get a lot done at work today 😅

The photos I've found have downloadable high resolution TIFF files - this one is 45 MB.

 

Do not recognize that area at all. The tallest building still exists but you can barely recognize it.

I don't think this has been posted anywhere here before. This is the High St. I remember (at Ohio State at the time), and the ironic comment from one of the panelists here, when it was "more diverse." As I recall a woman I worked with once from New Jersey said, "it looks like the Bowery!" But check out Mr. Gordon of Gordon's Ice Cream fame (7:13). I used to go there at least once a week.

 

 

Edited August 23, 20213 yr by eastvillagedon

As in the Bowery during flophouse times?

18 hours ago, GCrites80s said:

As in the Bowery during flophouse times?

well, yes, this was the mid-70's, so there were still a lot of those on the pre-gentrified Bowery back then. I think there are still at least a couple. 

I wonder if there were any flophouses in the SN at that time.

Hi all - if anyone is able to, a lot of these photos are great and would be great to freely use in Columbus history presentations and articles! Submit to the Columbus library without reserving rights, or put on Flickr please with a free license!

Tower parking was an automated parking structure next to the LeVeque tower from 1958-1974. Cars were lifted by elevator to parking levels. It was 12 stories tall. The view is from W Gay and Wall looking south. I remember seeing this as a kid as we drove by during our always exciting trips downtown to Lazarus. It always intrigued me. 

 

Gowdy Field, from a while ago...

 

On 9/13/2021 at 11:07 PM, ColDayMan said:

Gowdy Field, from a while ago...

 

I guess that is awhile ago 🙃. I'm guessing that is a railroad roundhouse (below the Leveque and right of the old municipal powerplant smokestack). So, pre innerbelt & 315, minimum.

Ohio Departments Building construction, 1931

 

 

There was a ton of expressway construction in 1968 (from the Cols. Dispatch)

 

315 Construction.

 

270 Construction in Dublin

 

270 and 70 on the west side

 

33 at Avery Rd in Dublin

2 hours ago, Pablo said:

There was a ton of expressway construction in 1968 (from the Cols. Dispatch)

 

315 Construction.

 

270 Construction in Dublin

 

270 and 70 on the west side

 

33 at Avery Rd in Dublin

 

Amazing! I wish I could have seen the Horseshoe when it was actually a horseshoe. 

Was going through some old Columbus skyline photos from the 80s and noticed that at one time the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation building’s crown used to light up. Too bad they can’t update it with some LED lighting, would really enhance the skyline.

I miss that and AEP's lighting.

its funny to see those 1960's aerials. does anybody know how they notated it? looks like they wrote on cardboard, cut it out and glued it on the photos? does that sound right?

A proposal for transforming downtown in the 60s. Glad this didn’t happen, especially the weird Reese's Cups on the river. 

So basically, Brasilia. 

^^Wow, that is wild. 

3 hours ago, ColDayMan said:

So basically, Brasilia. 

 

Totally got that feeling as well. I've never seen these proposals before. Thanks very much for sharing, @CBUS_Res. Also glad that these particular plans never came to fruition!

22 minutes ago, CMHOhio said:

 

Totally got that feeling as well. I've never seen these proposals before. Thanks very much for sharing, @CBUS_Res. Also glad that these particular plans never came to fruition!

You’re welcome! I’ve been looking through all the historic photos on the Columbus Metropolitan Library website and there are some incredible things in there!

Hudson and N High, 1920 or so

 

 

At least something made it through the '60s and '70s.

The Deshler Hotel at Broad and High in 1915. Note the open-air streetcar. There’s a traffic cop in the bottom left with an umbrella that says “GO”. I love the curved corner on the building. The windows are curved too. 
 

 

1970s

 

 

 

 

 

hamilton ave

 

https://www.columbusnavigator.com/roadside-architecture-photos-columbus/

 

^^That aerial photo above is probably from the 50s

Broad and High in 1980. The view is from the statehouse grounds looking northwest. The parking lot was the location of the Deshler Hotel and the site of One Columbus that will be constructed later in the decade. 
 

 

On 11/16/2021 at 1:06 PM, mrnyc said:

 

 

 

I'm not from Columbus--what's the story on this beauty?  

1 hour ago, Cleburger said:

I'm not from Columbus--what's the story on this beauty?  

Built in 1963 and torn down in 1988, it was on E. Broad next to the old COSI.  I remember it as a kid but I never stayed there. Apparently the Grateful Dead stayed there after a show in the 1970s. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Inn

 

Great photos and info here, including renderings and a photo of the addition with the space needle like tower that was never built. It would be so cool if it was though. The furnishings in the hotel are awesome. 

 

 

wow that cheap space needle is uglier than the toronto version - yet still amazing to have — and what a landmark it would have been coupled w/the christopher hotel.

 

if the chris could have just held on thru the nadir doldrums of our downtowns in the late 60s to early 90s it would be a googie era hipster paradise today. but realisitically thats a long time to hold out over those sad times for downtowns. 

^ I loved the restaurant there. It was known for its Ruben sandwich, of all things. A shame it's no longer there. (btw- the CN tower is not ugly. It's the "Eiffel Tower of Toronto" 😃)

I was sad to see it come down even as a kid. After that COSI put a bike with a counterweight underneath that anyone could ride across a tightrope with no hands. While I was doing it I was thinking "this is cool, but the Christopher Inn was better."

^ i remember that. and i finally did that gravity bike too, but not at cosi, at the seattle version. it was real tendy to have those at science centers, i think they all had’em lol.

 

 

2 hours ago, eastvillagedon said:

^ I loved the restaurant there. It was known for its Ruben sandwich, of all things. A shame it's no longer there. (btw- the CN tower is not ugly. It's the "Eiffel Tower of Toronto" 😃)

 

cn is an eyesore and this cheaper version would have been too. well maybe not so much surrounded by more of the hotel? we’ll never know. as with cn, it would have been nice to have for the views though.

1893

 

1910