Huntington Bank skyscrapers in Columbus going up for ‘invite-only’ sale
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — One of Columbus’ older skyscrapers is among three Huntington National Bank buildings going up for sale and potential redevelopment.
Huntington National Bank announced on Thursday that the Wyandotte Building at 21 W. Broad St. — a skyscraper erected between 1897 and 1898 — will be offered as part of a broader national push toward revitalizing downtown office buildings to suit modern needs. The Huntington Bank Building at 17 S. High St. and the Huntington Plaza building at 37 W. Broad St. will also be offered up.
“Each of these buildings holds a rich history in downtown Columbus, and we believe redevelopment is key to ensure downtown Columbus thrives for years to come,” Huntington President and CEO Steve Steinour said in the announcement. “As the hometown bank, we will maintain our large presence at Huntington Center.”
The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC), which manages a big-picture vision together with companies for the transformation of the downtown area, will partner with Huntington on the project. The pair will reach out to potential buyers and renovators through an “invite-only, request for proposal process,” according to the bank’s announcement.
Huntington will maintain a branch located at its corporate headquarters downtown. Nearly 200 employees currently located at the offered-up buildings will eventually transition to one of the bank’s other Columbus corporate offices.
Huntington Bank did not share information on the sale’s potential impact to other tenants as of Thursday. Ground floor tenants visible from the outside of the collection of buildings included a State Farm insurance office, Subway and Potbelly sandwich shops, Pizza Rustica and Mexican restaurant Cinco. The Huntington Bank Building also includes the company’s main branch.
The Wyandotte Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Huntington Bank, which Zippia listed as having 25,693 employees as of 2023, was founded in 1866.
The sale will not impact Huntington Center, the bank’s 37-story tower directly across the street from the Ohio Statehouse at 41 S. High St.
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