An LLC tied to Cleveland-based developer Harsax Management is set to go before the Downtown Commission on Tuesday, March 24, asking for permission to tear down two century-old brick storefronts on South High Street and a smaller rear building on Wall Street, then leave the cleared site as a grassy lot. The demolition request would leave the neighboring Ohio National Bank at 167 S. High untouched, with the developer saying it still plans to renovate the bank building.
As reported by Columbus Underground, the application, filed by an LLC affiliated with Harsax, seeks demolition of the multi-story brick buildings at 171–191 S. High St. and a rear structure at 200 S. Wall St. The filing includes interior photos and a site plan that clearly shows the bank building remaining. According to the outlet, Harsax bought the properties in 2023 and listed them for sale last fall. Columbus Underground also reports that city inspectors cited the buildings for unsafe conditions in 2019 when they were owned by Plaza Properties, and that the city issued additional orders to Harsax in 2023 and 2025.
What the application would remove
An online property listing shows the three-building assemblage totals roughly 38,300 square feet and is being marketed as a single redevelopment opportunity, grouping 171–191 S. High and 200 S. Wall together for sale. For more on the parcels and marketing pitch, see the listing from NAI Ohio Equities.
How the commission will decide
The Downtown Commission will review the request at its regular meeting. A Certificate of Appropriateness is required for any demolition in the Downtown District, and commissioners evaluate applications using the Downtown Design Guidelines. Those guidelines specify that a COA is required for demolition, stress preservation of older structures where feasible, and permit demolition when a building is documented as a safety risk, while also outlining public-comment and appeal procedures. For the full code and review process, see the City of Columbus Downtown Design Guidelines.
Bank renovation, tax credits and a stalled tower
Harsax previously floated a 15-story mixed-use tower next to the bank, then put that plan on hold as construction costs and interest rates climbed, leaving the block stuck in limbo. The developer has continued to pursue rehabilitation of the Ohio National Bank at 167 S. High. That project has secured state historic tax credits and a brownfield remediation award to handle asbestos and other cleanup, according to state grant documents and earlier coverage by local outlets. The Ohio Department of Development’s grant summary lists a $1.76 million brownfield remediation award for the Ohio National Bank project to abate asbestos and enable the building’s redevelopment.
Preservationists push back
Preservation advocates are already sounding alarms. Columbus Landmarks placed the Old Lazarus Block on its 2023 Most Endangered Sites list and called for “more sensitive treatment and reuse” of the storefronts instead of wholesale demolition, pointing to the block’s ties to downtown’s early retail history and to a 1930s Kroger location. The group has urged alternatives that retain historic fabric where possible. See Columbus Landmarks’ 2023 entry for the Old Lazarus Block for the organization’s full statement.
What to watch at next Tuesday’s hearing
The Downtown Commission meets at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, in Hearing Room 204 at 111 N. Front St. The commission’s agenda and packet will include the application materials and any staff recommendations. Under the design code, commissioners can approve, approve with conditions, table or deny a COA, and their vote will determine whether Harsax may move forward with demolition permits or must return with a replacement plan. The property remains on the market while the application is pending, according to the NAI Ohio Equities listing and related reporting.
