Historic‑area approvals: council signs off on museum roof, downtown redevelopment plans and multiple storefront signs

Columbus historic‑preservation commissioners on Tuesday approved a series of Certificates of Appropriateness (COA) covering building repairs, new and relocated signage, a large mixed‑use rehabilitation and a five‑year renewal for a temporary parking lot near the stadium.

The most extensive review focused on the proposed rehabilitation at 145 South Front Street, a historic office building that the applicant plans to convert to mixed use with 92 apartment units, ground‑floor retail, new rooftop amenities including a pool and terraces, and a new curb cut for basement parking. Commissioners discussed the curb‑cut design, sidewalk treatment across the driveway apron and preservation of primary facades; they approved the COA subject to the outstanding engineering review by traffic/engineering staff and the applicant returning with final landscape‑lighting and window specifications for administrative review.

The Columbus Museum of Art received approval to replace worn roof materials with a copper roof. Museum representatives presented historical documentation showing the building originally had a copper roof and told commissioners the change is intended to be both longer‑lasting and more historically appropriate than the existing materials.

Commissioners also approved multiple signage applications across downtown: a relocation of a historic projecting sign for a Broad Street storefront; a package of internally illuminated channel letters and a logo for Central Outreach Wellness Center; a set of illuminated tower signs at a site off West Goodale Street; and a large projecting sign on Fourth Street proposed by DayNight Sign Company. Most signage proposals included mounting details and renderings; staff and commissioners discussed illumination levels, backer colors and options to minimize visual dominance on facades.

Separately, the commission extended by five years a previously approved temporary parking lot adjacent to the stadium. Hazen Sports Group told commissioners the site continues to be used for event‑day parking while nearby development phases proceed; staff noted the proposal does not meet permanent screening or interior landscaping standards but said flexibility is often granted for temporary surface lots tied to phased development.

Votes at a glance - 145 S. Front St. (COA for rehabilitation, new curb cut, rooftop pool and amenities): approved (motion carried; commissioners voted in favor; traffic/engineering sign‑off and final lighting/windows to be returned for administrative review). - Columbus Museum of Art (COA to replace portions of the roof with copper): approved (unanimous). - East Broad Street projecting sign relocation (COA 2500183): approved (unanimous). - Central Outreach Wellness Center signage (COA 2500168): approved (4–1; one commissioner recorded a no vote). - Temporary stadium parking lot renewal (COA renewal at 96 Columbus Freeway): approved (unanimous; five‑year extension). - Illuminated tower signs (West Goodale site): approved (unanimous). - Projecting sign at State & Fourth (DayNight Sign Company): approved (unanimous).

Commissioners and staff repeatedly emphasized preservation of primary historic materials where visible from the street, asked applicants to return with final lighting and material samples when those details were incomplete, and encouraged applicants to minimize visual clutter on historic facades. For the redevelopment at 145 S. Front St., commissioners suggested paving and apron details that visually continue the existing sidewalk (for example, a flush granite insert to align with existing granite bands) and asked the applicant to coordinate the curb‑cut design with traffic engineering.

Applicants and presenters who testified included Rebecca Green of Columbus Sign (East Broad sign), Debbie Fossek and Susan Niebola (Central Outreach), Melinda Shaw and Brook Minto for the Columbus Museum of Art, Diane Thompson (Sandvik Architects) and Bradley Hayes (Connect Real Estate) for 145 South Front Street, Phil Dangerfield (Hazen Sports Group) for the stadium parking lot renewal, Stanley W. Young III (Brandon Stein Company) for the illuminated towers, and Oliver Holtzberry (DayNight Sign Company) for the Fourth Street projecting sign.

Commissioners closed the meeting after directing staff to process outstanding window and lighting specifications administratively where possible and to return items needing further engineering review to a future agenda.

Less‑critical items — including additional administrative sign approvals and minor administrative clarifications — were handled in the same session and will be incorporated into staff files for issuance of certificates of approval when applicants submit the final details and shop drawings.