Columbus’ Near East Side is a dynamic community with a unique collection of neighborhoods, including King-Lincoln Bronzeville, Mt. Vernon, and Woodland Park. This historic area features some of the city’s oldest homes and an array of small businesses, schools, parks, and community gardens. Home to several notable landmarks, including the Lincoln Theatre, Pythian Theater, King Arts Complex, and Poindexter Village, the Near East Side is also a hub for creativity and ingenuity with deep ties to Columbus’ Black history.
A century ago, the Near East Side was among the more diverse neighborhoods in Columbus in terms of race and wealth. For many years, Black-owned businesses in the neighborhood thrived, and many affluent Black residents called the Near East Side home. The area also emerged as a bustling entertainment district, welcoming and raising prominent musicians, artists, and other creatives. In fact, Mt. Vernon Avenue in King-Lincoln Bronzeville was once known as the “Million Dollar Mile” because of the neighborhood’s role as the center for Black wealth, culture, and society.
However, due to racially discriminatory policies and practices—such as redlining by banks and the construction of freeways that cut through the neighborhood, severing its connection to Downtown Columbus—the Near East Side experienced decades of population loss and disinvestment. Over time, residents faced more and more challenges.
PICTURED: The Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA, located on Woodland Avenue.
In recent years, public and private entities have committed to revitalization efforts on the Near East Side while intentionally striving to preserve the neighborhood’s rich history and character. The Columbus Foundation—which has been located on East Broad Street within the Near East Side for more than three decades—has invested in the neighborhood through numerous grants that support the arts, youth services, workforce development, housing, social connection, and more. This whole-neighborhood approach is designed to expand opportunity and improve the quality of life among individuals and families living on the Near East Side.
“The Columbus Foundation, through the generosity of donors, proudly supports many organizations that have been serving the Near East Side for generations, including the cultural institutions that are carrying on its creative legacy,” said Doug Kridler, President and CEO of The Columbus Foundation. “Through these investments and collaborative partnerships, we celebrate the neighborhood’s rich and dynamic history while helping to build a vibrant future where all Near East Side residents can flourish.”
The Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA is among the many organizations on the Near East Side to receive grants from The Columbus Foundation. Named after Eldon Ward—who served on The Columbus Foundation’s Governing Committee for nearly a decade, including one year as Chairperson—and his wife, Elsie, the Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA provides a variety of programs and services to the Near East Side community. From group fitness classes and water safety courses to food giveaways and health screenings, the Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA strives to promote health, well-being, and connection among its neighbors.
PICTURED (L-R): Eldon and Elsie Ward. Learn more about the Ward Family legacy here.
In 2023, The Columbus Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to the Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA to support the construction of an expanded outdoor park and pavilion. Once completed, the park and pavilion will feature public green spaces, community gardens, picnic tables, and a playground. The space will also be used to support YMCA programs, including day camps, financial literacy courses, and food distribution.
“Whether a Y member or not, this resource will be available to individuals and families in the Near East Side community,” said Tony Collins, President & CEO of YMCA of Central Ohio. “The Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA Park & Pavilion exemplifies how strategic investments in public spaces can foster a vibrant and interconnected community for years to come.”
PICTURED: “Protect, Love and Embrace Our Village,” a mural located at North Champion Avenue and East Long Street on the Near East Side. The mural was painted by artists April Sunami and David Butler, along with 12 youth participants of ARtsway’s mural mentorship program, facilitated by Maroon Arts Group.
The Columbus Foundation has also made numerous investments in the arts on the Near East Side, providing catalytic capital to organizations such as the King Arts Complex, Lincoln Theatre Association, and Maroon Arts Group. In 2023, The Columbus Foundation awarded two grants totaling $60,000 to the Lincoln Theatre Association—an organization dedicated to stewardship of the Lincoln Theatre, located on East Long Street—to support an apprenticeship program to help young people prepare for careers in theatrical design and production. Designed for people ages 16 to 26, the three-year apprenticeship program provides training and hands-on experience to the next generation of technical theatre professionals, creating a pathway to opportunity for local students and young adults.
Additionally, after Maroon Arts Group purchased the building that housed the historic Pythian Theater on Mt. Vernon Avenue, The Columbus Foundation awarded two grants totaling $80,000 to help the organization plan the restoration of the theatre. Committed to cultivating, celebrating, and promoting Black cultural production and art, Maroon Arts Group will host events for artists, creatives, and community members at the theatre. Once vacant and at risk of being torn down for redevelopment, the Pythian Theater—today known as the Maroon—will remain as an important center of entertainment, collaboration, and creativity on the Near East Side.
The restoration of the Pythian Theater is just one example of how The Columbus Foundation is supporting historic preservation on the Near East Side through grantmaking. In 2023, The Columbus Foundation awarded a $150,000 grant to the Central Ohio Community Land Trust (COCLT), a subsidiary of the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation (COCIC), to restore the Edna Building located on East Long Street in the King-Lincoln Bronzeville neighborhood. Built in 1905, the building was once a cornerstone of Columbus’ Black community, serving as the home of several Black-owned businesses, social clubs, and the Ohio Sentinel, a weekly African American newspaper.
However, the Edna Building has been unoccupied for the past four decades and has fallen into disrepair. Once the restoration is complete, the three-story building will include office and event spaces, providing the community with a place to gather and connect.
Finally, through its grantmaking, The Columbus Foundation supports organizations that directly serve families and children on the Near East Side, such as Columbus Early Learning Centers. Dedicated to providing high-quality early learning experiences to children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, Columbus Early Learning Centers helps provide young children with a strong foundation for future success in school and in life. The organization’s Champion Avenue Center, located in the heart of the Near East Side, offers a range of services to children and their families, including literacy programs, kindergarten readiness programs, and family engagement and support.
“The ZIP code where children are born should not determine their best chance to prepare for success in school and in life."
Gina Ginn, PhD, CEO of Columbus Early Learning Centers
As Gina Ginn, PhD, CEO of Columbus Early Learning Centers, explained, this multi-generational approach to early learning helps create strong families and communities by providing children and their caregivers opportunities to thrive.
“The ZIP code where children are born should not determine their best chance to prepare for success in school and in life,” explained Dr. Ginn. “This is why we go far beyond offering early education and affordable childcare. We are a team that surrounds each child to give them the best possible start in life and to foster success for the whole family.”
As the Near East Side continues its period of revitalization, The Columbus Foundation is committed to being a collaborative partner by investing in organizations and initiatives that uplift families, inspire creativity, create community, and expand opportunity. Together with local nonprofits and community members, and with the generous support of donors, The Columbus Foundation supports a comprehensive approach to building a healthy and vibrant Near East Side—all while honoring the neighborhood’s celebrated history.