Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law will be moving off campus by the end of the decade to the historic Huntington Bank building in downtown Columbus.
University and city leaders made the announcement Monday in the cavernous atrium of the bank building at the corner of High Street and Broad Street. The main floor of the bank building, which stands next door to Huntington's current headquarters, will be transformed into an event space and common area, while upper floor offices will be gutted and transformed for classes, the law library and faculty offices by the fall of 2029.
The move will position OSU's law school at the state's center of government and one of Ohio's commercial hubs. The Ohio Statehouse is just across the street while Columbus City Hall, the Ohio Supreme Court and numerous state, county and city offices are within walking distance.
Ohio State President Ravi Bellamkonda said the symbolism of moving the law school from Drinko Hall on campus to downtown is important.
"This building is minutes away from leading law firms that recruit our students from Moritz, literally embedding our students in the city and its fabric with policy leaders not too far away and giving them incredible opportunities," Bellamkonda said.
Bellamkonda told reporters the university is still workshopping plans for Drinko Hall after the law college moves out.
The Moritz College of Law will be the second prominent law school in downtown Columbus just down the street from the private Capital University Law School.
The development agency Downtown Columbus, Inc. will develop and own the building, leading the renovation of the existing building. Ohio State will occupy the space as a tenant under a 30-year lease, with an option to purchase the property in the future.
Alex Fischer, former chair of Downtown Columbus Inc., said there is opportunity for students to work with government and business leaders in downtown Columbus.
"To watch students be able to have that cross-pollination and to activate their lives and their studies, but also to help to continue to activate our great city is second to none," Fischer said.
Fischer attributed the idea behind this project to a "curiosity trip" with Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, the DCI board and Phoenix, Arizona's mayor. It was hosted in downtown Phoenix on the campus of Arizona State University.
"We came back home saying, wow, that was intriguing... and we come back with an idea," Fischer said.
Ginther said he hopes students, staff and faculty choose to live and study downtown as well.
"We want to double the number of people living downtown. There are people moving downtown every day, but what's critically important is we continue to build all types of housing and all types of price points," Ginther said.
Ginther said downtown will benefit from the energy that Ohio State students bring, like when students return to OSU's main campus north of downtown for classes.
Before the building is converted to a law school, Huntington's existing branch will move next door to the bank's headquarters. Huntington said in a statement this move will be complete by summer 2027.
