
The former West High School and Starling Middle School at 120 S. Central Ave. in Franklinton. Photo: Google Maps
Future tenants of a new local development will walk down former school hallways to reach their apartments, which may even have original chalkboards on the walls.
What's happening: Developer Woda Cooper Companies is transforming a shuttered school building in Franklinton into an affordable housing complex called Starling Yard.
- Historic preservation tax credits and support from Columbus' Affordable Housing Bond Fund are helping pay for the $31 million project.
- City leaders helped celebrate a groundbreaking last week.
Details: Woda plans to create 45 units in the vacant school, plus another 52 inside two new buildings on site.
- Original tin ceilings, flooring and doors will be saved with the redesign.
- The mixture of one-, two- and three-bedroom units will be offered for residents earning 30-80% of area median income, with monthly rent of around $400-1,295.
Flashback: The building opened as West High School in 1908 and later became Starling Middle School, which closed in 2013.
- Columbus City Schools sold the building to Woda in 2020 for $1.23 million.
- It appeared on Columbus Landmarks' 2021 endangered buildings list and last year was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

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