COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Columbus’s east side has been home to a vibrant African American community since the 19th century. Many of the still-standing buildings and homes were built by local workers, including the renovated Lincoln Theater.
Today city officials showed a revitalized businesses and homes that were saved from the wrecking ball by land bank sales.
Segregation and Interstate 71 created a self-sufficient community in the east side neighborhoods. Changes came slow, but one, the first of its kind in Columbus, was delivered in 1962 by five African American doctors.
“My father’s generation, that was the first generation of African American physicians to receive training in specialties,” said Lenore Thomas, she is the daughter of Dr. Walter A. Thomas.
For 50 years, Thomas said the 4 doctors and 1 dentist cared for community members at a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired medical building on Long Street that is now being preserved. Only one of the five, Doctor Harold E. McDaniel, 89, is still living.
“There are still generation they took care of that come to me to this day and tell me how proud they were when my dad made house calls,” said Lloyd Clark, whose father was also a doctor at the Franklin Park Medical Center.
Now the medical building along with several east side homes just rescued by the land banks, are either being fixed up or are ready for new occupants.
“Because the building had been vacant for many years, there was extensive water damage and it had been used for a drug haven,” said Andrew Ginther, Columbus city Mayor. He said the structure had been listed on the most endangered landmark buildings in Columbus.
City Council member Jaiza Page said, “This building has a personal significance for me, one of the doctors here delivered both my father and my brother, so I am very happy to see this being revitalized.”
Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady said while they are preserving history, over several years the land bank has torn down nearly 2,000 vacant or abandoned homes.What others are clicking on: