Columbus State Community College breaks ground on OhioHealth Hall

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus State Community College officially broke ground Friday on its OhioHealth Hall.

The new academic building will help graduates enter in-demand fields while modernizing instructional space for the next generation of nurses and health care professionals.

It'll provide upgraded labs, simulation spaces and classrooms as the college works with OhioHealth to double the talent pipeline over the next 10 years.

Leaders say facilities like this help close the gap between the classroom and workplace, but it can't happen without deep partnerships with employers.

The building is being funded through the support of Franklin County residents through a bond issue that was passed. Operations will come through a $25 million endowment from OhioHealth.

"$25 million endowment for a community college is unheard of," Columbus State Community College President David Harrison said. "It's really unprecedented and it demonstrates the kind of partnership ethic that exists in Ohio."

Construction will begin in the next couple of weeks, and the college expects to have its first class inside OhioHealth Hall in the fall of 2027.