Columbus Parks and Recreation Department could move from cramped and crumbling office space at Donner Center if the city’s plan to purchase and repurpose FairOaks Mall is successful.
The department’s administrative offices could move to the mall if the deal goes through, which would be a significant upgrade for office staff from the deteriorating conditions in the 71-year-old Donner, at 739 22nd St.
The city announced today that it is entering an agreement to purchase the mall property for $5.9 million, in a partnership with Columbus Regional Health with financial support from the Heritage Fund — The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County. The city hopes to complete the deal in December.
Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop explained that Donner Center serves three functions for the city, serving as the administrative headquarters for parks, providing community meeting facilities and supporting Donner Aquatics Center, the city’s outdoor public pool.
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Conditions at Donner have deteriorated to the point that Lienhoop had his second State of the City address there in 2017 to invite community residents to see it for themselves.
The last significant renovation at the center was a $1.375 million expansion and remodeling in 1986. The city invested $450,000 in August 2012 for roof repairs and updates to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
The building has water leaking from the ceiling, exterior bricks are crumbling and entrance doors and restrooms are not handicap-accessible. About 59 parks employees work in the facility.
While a possible indoor recreation center was explored for the Donner Center site as part of the parks’ recently released master plan, city officials have been concerned about maintaining the character of the wooded site, which is tucked into a traditional Columbus neighborhood.
Dovetailing Donner Center’s future into the mall acquisition, Lienhoop said there is a possibility that the administrative offices portion of Donner could be demolished, and replaced with upgrades for the pool area, including improved concessions, restrooms and locker rooms. Developing the Donner site as focusing on aquatics would cause minimal disruption and would not increase traffic in the neighborhood, he said.
The mayor emphasized that the possibility of demolishing the Donner administrative offices and meeting room space is only a vision, not a decision on the city’s part at this time.
The possibility of moving the parks administrative offices to the mall space was mentioned in the newest master plan, with the mall location being brought up in visioning meetings about the parks system that led to the master plan’s development.
Community residents identified the mall and the vacant former Kroger building space northwest of the mall as having enough square footage to support the desired indoor recreation components, according to the master plan.
Moving the parks department offices to the mall property would center the administrative function near one of the city’s larger parks — Lincoln — and provide a centralized location for residents to access meeting space and services.
As a scenario, Lienhoop mentioned that the parks department could move into the former FairOaks Mall anchor space occupied by J.C. Penney, an estimated 34,000-square-foot space in a central location in the mall property. The store space has been vacant since March 2017.
“The FairOaks possibility helps us understand what could happen at Donner,” Lienhoop said.
If an indoor sports and recreation complex becomes a part of the FairOaks footprint, the parks department administrative offices would also be centrally located for that, Lienhoop said.
“The J.C. Penney site would be more than adequate for the parks administration and the community,” Lienhoop said.
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The infrastructure needs for Donner Center were listed in the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department’s new master plan. They include:
- New and/or repaired windows,
- Improved integration of technology, including audio-visual in the multi-purpose rooms and facility-wide high-speed WiFi access
- Accessibility improvements (entrances, restrooms, locker rooms, etc.)
- Catering/teaching kitchen
- Additional public art
- Plumbing and mechanical updates as necessary
- High-efficiency lighting
- Upgraded interior furnishings
— Source: Columbus Parks and Recreation Department Master Plan
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The 250-page Columbus Parks and Recreation Master Plan document focuses on several recreational concentration areas, including:
- Increasing the amount of park land and recreation areas available to Columbus residents.
- Creating a multi-generational hub for indoor recreation, athletics, fitness and programming.
- Continuing to build trail infrastructure, more nature offerings and programming.
- Further investment in Columbus’ two city-run golf courses.
The plan does not give a specific recommendation about the 71-year-old Donner Center, but points out the aging facility has significant maintenance issues that are hampering its use and currently does not meet the community’s need for a fitness or community center.
City and past five-year master plans for the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department can be found on the department’s web site.
Visit columbusparksandrec.com/about/reports/
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