For decades, the corner of Long Street and North Washington Avenue has been mostly known as a place to leave your car.
That’s about to change.
Columbus State Community College is moving forward with plans for a new YMCA and childcare facility that will replace a large surface parking lot with a two-story, 53,000-square-foot building designed around students, families, and the surrounding community.
The project recently went before the Downtown Commission, where architects from Columbus-based Moody Nolan shared updated plans for the building. The proposed YMCA would include a full-service fitness center, gymnasium, swimming pool, childcare space, and areas for Columbus State’s sports and exercise programs.
But the part of the project that could have the biggest impact for students is something you won’t find in a typical campus recreation center: childcare.
Columbus State has said that roughly one out of every four students at the college is also a parent.
The new YMCA is designed to help those students balance school and family responsibilities by creating childcare options directly on campus.
The planned childcare center could serve up to 500 children, giving student parents a resource that’s currently difficult to find while also bringing new early childhood education opportunities to the area.
The YMCA partnership is also bringing the organization back to downtown Columbus after more than a century of serving the area. Leaders with the YMCA of Central Ohio say the new facility will allow them to expand their reach while creating a new gathering space in the Discovery District.
A Parking Lot Makeover Is Coming To Columbus State
The YMCA is one piece of a much larger transformation happening around Columbus State’s campus.
The college is gradually replacing surface parking lots with new buildings, housing, technology facilities, and green space. The YMCA site is part of what is currently a six-acre area with roughly 800 parking spaces.
Other planned projects include a new OhioHealth Hall, a 166-unit apartment complex called Opportunity Pointe, the future Ohio Center for Advanced Technology, a new automotive technology facility, and a new park.
The changes represent a major shift for the campus, which has historically relied heavily on surface parking. Columbus State officials said the college currently has more parking capacity than it needs, with about 4,500 spaces available through garages and lots.
As more development moves forward, the college is studying how students, employees, and visitors actually use parking instead of simply replacing every lost space.
When Will The YMCA Open?
The project still needs final approval before construction can begin, but Columbus State hopes to break ground in spring 2027.
The goal is to have the new YMCA open by August 2028.
When it’s finished, the building will be more than just a new campus gym. It will be part of a larger effort to turn Columbus State’s campus into a more connected neighborhood, one that includes places to learn, live, work, and now, take care of the next generation of students.
To learn more, head over to cscc.edu/go/ymca.
All renderings by Moody Nolan.
