Columbus City Council last night approved spending 1.1 million dollars on redeveloping a building on Champion Avenue and another on Granville Street, which were part of the Poindexter Village public-housing site. Co-sponsoring council member Priscilla Tyson talks about the future of the buildings.
The museum would also chronicle life in Poindexter Village and feature a learning center for youth. The James Preston Poindexter Foundation and the Ohio History Connection would operate the site. OHC expects to close a 300 thousand dollar purchase of the property from the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority in November. OHC does not yet have a cost estimate for the project. 33 of the 35 buildings that comprised the development that opened in 1940 were demolished four years ago. Last year, the Columbus Landmarks Foundation placed the buildings on its list of the 13 most endangered sites in the city. Council also set aside 185 thousand dollars for a legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation. The money will go to three local organizations. The Vera Institute of Justice is providing an additional 100 thousand dollars. The idea for the fund was proposed in January in response to President Trump’s executive order banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.
