Grange Insurance moved to this site in 1978 and commissioned a building whose design espoused a sense of strength and permanence, both qualities that an insurance company would hope to project. Unfortunately, it also resulted in an inward-looking, monolithic fortress of brick and tinted glass that turned its back on the surrounding area.
In 2009, Grange commissioned a 274,000-square-foot addition to the existing building. The new design reconnects Grange with its built and natural surroundings, replacing the old façade with transparent glass, landscaped plazas and green roofs, a new entrance on High Street, and ground-level retail and meeting spaces. Rather than reflecting an opaque image of its surroundings, the building now contributes to the neighborhood’s character, hearkening back to the historic breweries up the street with classic red brick, while carrying the area forward with a modern and dynamic glass façade.
Although it is not open to the public, an artwork by Lawrence Romorini is housed inside Grange. It is roughly 144 square feet and uses original items and reproductions from the Grange archives to commemorate the company’s 75 years of service.
The historic site of Trinity Lutheran Seminary lies just south of the Grange Building, and is marked by a historical marker at the northeast corner of the park. Now located on Main Street in nearby Bexley, Trinity Lutheran Seminary called this site home from 1832 to 1849. In 1850, the Seminary became the theological department of Capital University … and in 1876, the Seminary moved to its current location on the National Road before Bexley was developed. The Seminary’s founder, Wilhelm Schmidt, tended to the seminary and 4 small Lutheran congregations, while his spouse tended to a very large garden and 3 small children.
The seminary enjoyed a close and supportive relationship with the Germans of the South End, many of whom belonged to St Paul Lutheran Church or Trinity Lutheran Church (Columbus Art Walk Sites 104 and 585.)
A classroom and a small dormitory were located on the site but were demolished soon after the Seminary relocated.