COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Two of three Huntington skyscrapers in Downtown are under new ownership after being sold for more than $10 million.
Huntington Plaza at 37 W. Broad St. was purchased for $10,057,625 on Dec. 30, and the Wyandotte building at 21 W. Broad St. sold for $644,640 on Dec. 26, Franklin County Auditor’s Office records show. Both were bought by Downtown Columbus Inc., which is planning to redevelop what it calls “historic mainstays” into “dynamic spaces.”
“Huntington’s decision to sell these buildings fosters local development, supports civic growth, and increases downtown vitality,” said Steve Steinour, Huntington CEO, when the company announced plans to sell all three buildings. “Downtown Columbus, Inc. is a perfect partner to ensure their use will be consistent with a shared, community-driven vision for a vibrant downtown core.”
A sale of downtown’s third Huntington building at 17 S. High St. has yet to be recorded by the auditor’s office. Exact redevelopment plans for the three Huntington buildings have yet to be announced.
The purchases come as a proposed $573 million development says it would revitalize Capitol Square by constructing mixed-use buildings on large parking lots. The project by Edwards Companies named the “Capitol Square Renaissance” calls for five structures to be redeveloped or built on Broad, Third and Fourth streets.
To complete the project, Edwards has applied for a $33 million tax credit from the Ohio Transformational Mixed-Use Development Program, which will announce next year the applicants receiving tax credits.
“[The project] will redevelop struggling buildings and replace parking lots over a 9.8-acre site to create new downtown residences, new restaurants,” the development company’s application states. “The project will replace the concrete-rich, automobile centric, pedestrian adverse environment with improved street scape, green spaces and three new publicly accessible parks.”