Columbus committee recommends demolition of four long-vacant school buildings

The Equitable and Transparent Resource Management Committee voted unanimously on May 14 to recommend that the Columbus City School District Board of Education approve demolition of four long-vacant buildings: Monroe Middle School (474 N. Monroe Ave.), Lynmore Education Center (2001 Hamilton Ave.), Berry Middle School (2740 Lockorn Rd.) and Bowmont Elementary School (2155 Fenton St.).

Alex Trevino, the district's director of capital improvements, presented photographs and a site-level assessment for each structure, citing “airborne contamination” and widespread water intrusion in multiple buildings. Trevino said the Monroe auditorium shows “mold” and that the district “does not recommend anybody enter this site, including law enforcement, without PPE” because of respiratory risk.

Trevino walked the committee through site-specific conditions: Monroe was closed in 2014 and has extensive interior damage and trespass, Lynmore has failed roof and boiler systems and has been largely unused since 2021, Berry sits adjacent to an active high school and will be fully vacant once the on-site library relocates later this year, and Bowmont has sustained repeated unauthorized entry and flooding since lease tenants left in 2021.

Committee members asked staff whether the district will absorb demolition costs and what is being spent now to secure the properties. Staff said cost estimates are not yet final but that they expect demolition of the largest buildings to be “well north of a million dollars” each; current upkeep is limited (utilities largely off, minimal security measures and periodic mowing), and the district intends to absorb demolition costs in the near term.

Several members urged community engagement around demolition events and memorialization. One committee member asked about short-term community use of Monroe’s track and field; staff said the demolition scope would likely avoid the north-side walking area in the short term but that long-term reuse would require separate community discussion.

Each demolition recommendation passed on a roll-call vote and will go to the full Board of Education for final action. Staff said abatement work on previously approved demolition sites is nearly complete and that new demolitions will begin the board-consideration process with cost and scope estimates to follow.

Next steps: staff will provide demolition cost estimates and site-specific implementation timing to the board as part of the formal recommendation process.