Columbus State and Moody Nolan File Permit for Downtown YMCA and Childcare Center
A proposed two-story facility on Long Street heads toward city review as drawing archives exceed byte limits and budget specifics remain unannounced.
Columbus State Community College and architecture firm Moody Nolan have formally submitted an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness to construct a 53,000-square-foot YMCA and childcare facility on the college's downtown campus, according to city permit records. The application, designated COA2601057, was filed on Sept. 28, 2026, for 165 N. Washington Ave.
The planned two-story facility will be situated on an existing campus surface parking lot at the corner of Long Street and North Washington Avenue. According to permit filings, the program includes a pool, gymnasium, fitness and exercise areas, academic classrooms, and childcare facilities with an exterior playground. In a conceptual presentation before the Downtown Commission in late July, officials announced that the center is designed to serve as many as 500 children while supporting student recreation and CSCC's sports exercise curriculum.
The project establishes a joint partnership between Columbus State and the YMCA of Central Ohio intended to eliminate childcare as a barrier for attending students. The development plays a central role in the college's campus master plan, which converts an existing six-acre, 800-space surface parking lot into the YMCA, a future public park to the west, and the Ohio Center for Advanced Technology. School officials previously announced that the college committed to the Ohio Department of Higher Education to open the facility by August 2028, requiring construction to start by spring 2027.
Public records for the application list three submittal files: architectural drawings, project renderings, and a Basis of Design packet. The architectural drawings and rendering files exceeded system byte limits during acquisition at 33.97 megabytes and 26.86 megabytes, respectively, city records show. The initial submittals include Basis of Design materials filed for commission review, including technical specifications on page 2 of the submission.
Key details regarding the project's schedule and financing remain undisclosed. The city has not yet scheduled a date for the Downtown Commission to hold a formal vote on the application, and officials have not publicly announced the total construction cost or the specific funding allocation between the college, the YMCA, and state sources.
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The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
COA2601057 · Certificate of Approval/Appropriateness — 165 N WASHINGTON AVE
Supporting evidence (4)
Columbus State Community College and architecture firm Moody Nolan have formally submitted an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness to construct a 53,000-square-foot YMCA and childcare facility on the college's downtown campus, according to city permit records.
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COA2601057 · Certificate of Approval/Appropriateness — 165 N WASHINGTON AVE 165 N Washington Ave New YMCA Building and childcare New 53,000 YMCA and Childcare Facility.
The application, designated COA2601057, was filed on Sept. 28, 2026, for 165 N.
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COA2601057 · Certificate of Approval/Appropriateness — 165 N WASHINGTON AVE 165 N Washington Ave New YMCA Building and childcare New 53,000 YMCA and Childcare Facility.
According to permit filings, the program includes a pool, gymnasium, fitness and exercise areas, academic classrooms, and childcare facilities with an exterior playground.
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The building will be situated in the existing parking lot at the corner of Long Street and North Washington Avenue. The program includes a pool, gym, fitness, exercise, academic classrooms and childcare spaces including exterior playground
The architectural drawings and rendering files exceeded system byte limits during acquisition at 33.97 megabytes and 26.86 megabytes, respectively, city records show.
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Document: Applicant Submitted Materials · 2026-0930 - CSCC YMCA - Part 1 Drawings.pdf · attachment 5384315 · 2026-09-30T00:00:00Z · 33.97 MB
Supporting evidence (2)
In a conceptual presentation before the Downtown Commission in late July, officials announced that the center is designed to serve as many as 500 children while supporting student recreation and CSCC's sports exercise curriculum.
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Representatives of Columbus State Community College and YMCA of Central Ohio were on hand to walk through plans for the two-story, 53,000-square-foot facility.
The development plays a central role in the college's campus master plan, which converts an existing six-acre, 800-space surface parking lot into the YMCA, a future public park to the west, and the Ohio Center for Advanced Technology.
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The new YMCA, the OCAT facility and the proposed park will all be built on what is now a six-acre, 800-space parking lot.
Supporting evidence (1)
The initial submittals include Basis of Design materials filed for commission review, including technical specifications on page 2 of the submission.
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Columbus State Community College Downtown Commission – Basis of Design
Supporting evidence (1)
The initial submittals include Basis of Design materials filed for commission review, including technical specifications on page 2 of the submission.
Read supporting passage
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