Athletic Club of Columbus
Why it's listed
Rising six stories on East Broad Street in downtown Columbus, just east of the state capitol, the Athletic Club of Columbus is a brick and terra cotta clubhouse in the Italian Renaissance Revival style. Its symmetrical façade has an ornate entrance surround, arched second-floor windows topped with lion's-head keystones, a Greek key belt course and a bracketed cornice with a balustraded parapet. Inside, the building held dining rooms, a library and lounge with a coffered ceiling and large fireplace, overnight rooms, a swimming pool, squash courts and a two-story gymnasium. A separate women's entrance and stairway reflect its origins as a men's club. The club was listed for its local importance. Its publication, Blue Wings, documents a family-oriented program from the late 1940s through the 1960s, along with its role as a civic and cultural gathering place that hosted Columbus Town Meetings and forums on public affairs. It continues as a sports and social club.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the building as a long-standing athletic, social and civic club for Columbus business and civic leaders, with facilities such as a pool, gymnasium, squash courts and overnight rooms. The surviving text also describes its role as a host site for civic forums and political and cultural events, and its family-oriented programming from the late 1940s through the 1960s. It is considered significant at the local level.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 11000711, listed September 29, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 136 Broad St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | September 29, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000711 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals: Italian Renaissance |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a sports facility and meeting hall; the interior has been altered in places, with upper-floor windows replaced in 1983-84. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.96282, -82.99691 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 11000711.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4813735
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.