Ohio State to save historic Henderson House, look at other sites for rehab hospital

Officials at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center say they will now look at other sites for its new adult inpatient rehabilitation center as it works to save a historic Near East Side house that many in the community pushed to save.

The hospital said in a statement Friday morning that it will "assess additional options" for the new Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital in order to preserve the Henderson House, the home that sits on a site at Taylor Avenue and Atcheson Street.

The medical center "is committed to saving the house from demolition and will continue to work closely with the community on next steps," the statement said.

Related Henderson House article: Residents worried about OSU Wexner's planned demolition of historic house for rehab center

Community leaders and residents wanted to save the house because of its importance to the area. The house, which sits on a hill at 1544 Atcheson St., was built on property once owned by Rutherford B. Hayes, the former president and Ohio governor. The century-old house was later owned by a prominent and affluent Black lawyer, Leonard Henderson, who had a Downtown law practice at Rich and South High streets.

Wexner Medical Center officials had planned to demolish the house to make way for a planned three-story, 86,000 square-foot center just west of Taylor Avenue, adjacent to the medical center's Outpatient Care East and north of Ohio State East hospital.

A change in plans

Those plans have now changed.

Community leader Willis Brown, one of many who wanted to save the Henderson House, said it is significant because it is on property a president once owned in the historic African-American community of Bronzeville.

"We don't have to tear down everything of prominence for something new," he said in an interview Friday.

Julialynne Walker, another long-time community leader who leads a Near East Side advisory committee and chairs the Franklin Park Civic Association, said in the Wexner Medical Center release: “Ohio State heard us. They are with us at the table, and not just about this concern over the new hospital and the house.

"I’m encouraged by this process of building a partnership that will work on the mutually important matters for our community," Walker said.

Dr. Chyke Doubeni, chief health equity officer at Wexner Medical Center, said in the statement: “It is important that we continue to work with the community to determine the best approach on our shared priorities. The medical center is part of the fabric of the Near East Side. We are invested in the long-term health and wellness of our neighbors."

Medical center officials are evaluating other sites for the new rehabilitation hospital.

Asked about whether Wexner Medical Center officials were still looking at a Near East Side site for the hospital, spokeswoman Marti Leitch said an email that many factors go into evaluating a site for a hospital.

"We’re exploring all options available to us," she said.

mferench@dispatch.com

@MarkFerenchik

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Wexner Medical Center to look for other sites for Dodd rehab hospital