In the heart of the Discovery District is the Seneca Hotel which has been home to hotel guests, students, office workers, residents, and ghosts throughout its history.
The Seneca Hotel was designed by renowned Ohio architect Frank Packard. After opening its doors in 1917 as a hotel, the building later served as dormitories for beauty and trade schools and offices for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency before it was vacated it in 1987.
After it was nearly demolished, the City of Columbus won the right to preserve the property in 1999 through the Franklin County Environmental Court. After a three year, $19 million dollar renovation by Philadelphia-based Campus Apartments Inc,, the 10 story building reopened in the summer of 2008 with 120,000 square feet of one and two bedroom rental units.
In addition to its new tenants, the building is also rumored to be home to ghosts in the basement. Former employees of the Ohio EPA frequently reported seeing and hearing the ghost of a young girl crying in the basement, a story that continues to this day.
361 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Franklin County
Please note: The Greater Columbus Arts Council (Arts Council) does not own or manage any public art. For the purposes of this database many pieces were entered by the Arts Council while we continue to search for the appropriate owner/manager of the work and other information to complete the entry. The Arts Council has tried to gather all available information about the works in this database, however, we acknowledge there may be missing or inaccurate information. If you can help us correct any inaccuracies, or provide more complete information, we would be grateful. Please use “Something missing? Please send us a note” above.
Taking images of public art works and sharing your experiences is one of the most fun reasons to engage with public art. As a community, we care deeply about the artists who have contributed the artworks we enjoy every day. Please be sure to credit artists when you share your photos. If you have an interest in using public artwork present in this database for commercial purposes, please contact Jami Goldstein at the Greater Columbus Arts Council. Taking your own images of public artwork does not release you from the responsibility of artist credit and/or compensation.
This site is produced and managed by the Greater Columbus Arts Council and supported by the Ohio Arts Council and public art collections across the state. Contributors to the databases to date include collections held by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, City of Columbus, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Dublin Arts Council, City of Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Department, City of Kettering, Downtown Mansfield Inc., Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Licking County Foundation, Ohio Arts Council’s Percent for Art program, Short North Arts District and the City of Sandusky. The database was funded in part by a grant from the Ohio Arts Council. Research and development support is provided by Designing Local, OSA Technology Partners and Columbus artist Stephanie Rond. The Columbus Makes Art campaign is a citywide, collaborative marketing effort designed to highlight the incredible talent of central Ohio artists. The Greater Columbus Arts Council is supported by the City of Columbus and the Ohio Arts Council.
To support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. www.gcac.org
ArtsinOhio.com is your one-stop resource for arts, festivals and cultural events throughout the Buckeye State. And, even better, it’s free!
