Dublin schools withdraw from Cardinal Health West building purchase; Scioto addition to proceed with voter-approved funds

The Dublin City School District announced it will withdraw from its purchase agreement to buy the Cardinal Health West building, Superintendent Dr. Marshhausen told the board, while confirming the district will move ahead with a 60,000-square-foot addition at Scioto High School paid for with previously voter-approved resources.

The withdrawal clears the district from completing the planned purchase after due diligence and discussions with Cardinal Health and the City of Dublin, Marshhausen said. The district will step back from the purchase to reassess long-term enrollment needs and potential partners for the site.

"We will be withdrawing from the purchase agreement to purchase the Cardinal Health West Building," Marshhausen said. He added the decision was made "in collaboration with the city of Dublin and our friends at Cardinal Health." Marshhausen thanked Cardinal Health and city staff for their partnership during the discussions.

Marshhausen said the district and city continue discussions about other possible uses for the Cardinal Health West building but that the district’s option to purchase "is no longer on the table as the district." He noted the community still values the site: "There are still possibilities as the Cardinal Health West Building is a valuable asset to the Dublin community as a whole. We continue to have ongoing meetings and collaboration, and there's continued dialogue about potential future uses."

Separately, Marshhausen reiterated that the Scioto High School addition — described by staff as roughly 60,000 square feet — will be funded with resources already approved by district voters and will allow the district to house more than 2,000 students at each of its three high school campuses in the short and medium term. "This addition will allow us to house over 2000 students at each of these 3 campuses. It allows us to balance the student enrollment at our 3 buildings and to manage the growth that is taking place in our district as a whole," Marshhausen said.

Board members had no formal action on the purchase withdrawal at the meeting; Marshhausen invited questions before moving on. He thanked City of Dublin staff, specifically naming Megan O'Callaghan, and Cardinal Health for their engagement in conversations about potential future uses of the property.

The district said it will continue to evaluate enrollment and long-term facility solutions and pursue partnerships for the site, but did not provide a timeline or next formal steps for any future proposal involving the Cardinal Health West building.