Madison’s store among three big Columbus projects approved for tax breaks

A handful of old and empty Columbus buildings are in line for renovation after being approved for state tax credits.

The Madison’s Department Store and White-Haines buildings on N. High Street Downtown and the former Broadwin apartment building at 1312 E. Broad St. are among 28 projects approved for Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits.

Also approved for tax credits are the Market Mohawk Center at 250 E. Town St. in Columbus, the 40-story Erieview Tower in Cleveland, and the 22-story Grant-Deneau Tower in Dayton.

In all, the 28 projects, which involve 40 historic Ohio buildings, will receive $31.2 million in tax credits. Developers estimate that renovating the buildings will cost $347 million.

“Working with local community and business leaders, we’re removing blight in neighborhoods and transforming these buildings into new places for Ohioans to live and work,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency, which awards the credits with the help of Ohio History Connection’s State Historic Preservation Office.

The three Columbus projects poised for redevelopment are:

The Madison’s Department store and White-Haines building, 72 - 84 N. High St.

Eclipse Real Estate, a sister company to the Columbus development firm The Edwards Companies, has proposed a $60.6-million renovation of this string of buildings, which has sat for years in a state of semi-repair.

The project would include two buildings, at 72 N. High and 78 N. High, which together formed the Madison’s Department Store, which operated from the 1940s to the 1990s. The six-story building at 72 N. High was built in 1916 and the four-story building at 78 N. High is from the early 20th century.

The third building, at 80-84 N. High, known as the White-Haines Building, was completed in 1914 and expanded two years later. With its rich terra cotta facade, bronze recessed entrance and steel construction that allowed for wide windows, the six-story building is thought to be the most architecturally significant of the three.

Eclipse is proposing keeping the ground floor retail or restaurant while adding apartments above. In a vacant lot next door, a new building would be added that would include parking, commercial spaces and more residences, according to a state news release.

Eclipse proposes to start the project this month and complete it in two years.

The state granted Eclipse $4.4 million in tax credits for the project.

The Broadwin, 1312 E. Broad St.

The Columbus developer Eli Adahan has proposed renovating the 8-story building, once one of Columbus’ finest apartment addresses.

The Broadwin was built in 1925 in a stretch of fashionable E. Broad Street apartment buildings. The brick-and-limestone building derived its name from its location on the northeast corner of E. Broad Street and Winner Avenue.

The $17.6-million project would return the building to its original 46 apartments, down from the current 54.

In his application, Adahan is proposing to start the project this summer and complete it by May 2022.

The state approved $1.755 million for the redevelopment.

The Market Mohawk Center, 250 E. Town St.

This four-story brick office building was erected in 1969 as part of the city’s urban renewal efforts.

Columbus developer Brad DeHays is proposing an $8.5-million renovation of the building that would convert first-floor offices into six apartments while retaining offices on the upper floors.

DeHays proposes to start the project in November and complete it by the end of 2021.

The project was approved for $842,267 in state tax credits.

jweiker@dispatch.com

@JimWeiker