The Mid-Ohio Food Collective and Ohio State University announced they will partner on the planned food hub and healthcare facility in the Eastland area of Columbus.
Mid-Ohio Food Collective and the city of Columbus announced in October a plan to turn an abandoned Eastland shopping center at 4485 Refugee Road into a 67,000-square-foot resource center with food, city services and more. Ohio State joined the venture, which was announced at the site on Friday.
A press release from MOFC said Ohio State's Total Health Care Center, through the College of Nursing it will bring a holistic health care model to Eastland. The health care hub at Eastland is expected to include a range of services, including primary care, dental and pharmacy services, pediatrics, women’s health, behavioral health, sexual health, wellness and chronic disease prevention.
“The Eastland Prosperity Center will be a national model for building hunger-free, healthier communities,” MOFC President and CEO Matt Habash said in a statement. “Together with our partners at The Ohio State University, we’re moving forward to connect our neighbors with the food and resources they need to thrive.”
Habash and other groups involved in the project spoke at a Friday event outside the former Kroger the site will be renovated and house the center.
"When it is all said and done, it'll be over a $20 million project for this side of town," Habash said "So we're really excited about pulling that off and getting this open for everyone. I was asked 'When do you want it open?' I said yesterday."
About a quarter of the building will be dedicated to the health center while the rest will house the food bank, kitchen and more community and organization spaces for a Far East Neighborhood Pride Center, Celebrate One and more.
Candy Rinehart, the CEO of OSU's Total Health Care Center, said as a federally qualified healthcare center, they promise to take care of people regardless of their ability to pay.
"We have a sliding fee schedule. That's an area of compliance to get that designation," Rinehart said. "So we have sliding fee schedules for people who are uninsured. We take all Medicaid products and Medicare."
Those healthcare services will be combined with a free grocery market, city programming and social services.
The city of Columbus is investing $4 million in city funds into the project that would transform a former Kroger store on Refugee Road in the Eastland Area into the MOFC’s Eastland Prosperity Center.
Habash also said they are getting private donations and funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
"They tell me the dollars are still there, so we're gonna make sure," Habash said.
In March the federal government cancelled nearly 700,000 pounds of food meant for Mid-Ohio Food Collective.
The Kroger, which was the area’s main grocery store, closed in May 2022, leaving many residents without easy access to food. Now, the large store is empty along with most of the plaza it's located in.
The Far East side is going through some major changes with this development and the creation of the Eastland community plan. The nearby Eastland Mall is still in the process of being demolished.
Habash said he thinks this center will be able to serve residents of all stripes as the are experiences any development and changes that come along with it.
Construction on the Eastland Prosperity Center is expected to start in June. The center is planned to open to the public in the second half of 2026.
