Columbus State outlines $60 million advanced manufacturing lab as federal, state and local funding align
A new training hub proposed near downtown campus
Columbus State Community College is moving forward with early planning for a new advanced manufacturing-focused academic building expected to cost about $60 million and reach as much as 100,000 square feet. The project, titled the Ohio Center for Advanced Technologies, is being positioned as a workforce training hub tied to the region’s expanding base of advanced manufacturing, information technology and biotechnology employers.
The facility is planned for a college-owned parking lot at the southeast corner of Cleveland Avenue and East Spring Street, adjacent to the area where the college is also developing new healthcare education space. Initial planning work is underway, with design work expected to begin in the first half of 2026.
Funding structure: federal appropriations added to earlier commitments
Federal lawmakers approved $9.5 million for the Ohio Center for Advanced Technologies as part of a broader federal funding bill in early February 2026. The college has described the project as a blended financing effort drawing from multiple levels of government as well as local capital funding previously authorized by voters.
Columbus State has stated that the Ohio General Assembly set aside $20 million for the project in 2024. The college has also committed at least $30 million from proceeds tied to a Franklin County bond issue approved by voters in 2020, which was designed to generate $300 million for facility upgrades and construction over a multi-year capital plan. Pre-design work is expected to refine both the final size and overall price tag.
Project partners and delivery approach
The college has selected Moody Nolan as the architectural firm for the new center and identified the Daimler Group as construction manager at risk. The construction manager at risk model is commonly used on public and institutional projects to establish a guaranteed maximum price after design advances, while allowing early contractor involvement during planning.
Columbus State has framed the facility as an applied learning environment intended to support programs aligned with employer demand. The college has cited large and fast-growing employers in central Ohio—across manufacturing and related technology sectors—as drivers of workforce need, including semiconductor-linked supply chains and other advanced production operations.
Part of a broader campus redevelopment footprint
The proposed building site is within a larger redevelopment area of approximately six acres of parking lots bounded by Cleveland Avenue, East Spring Street, West Washington Avenue and East Long Street. The college’s independent real estate affiliate has been coordinating planning for the broader footprint.
Nearby, the college is advancing construction of OhioHealth Hall, a separate healthcare education building planned at the southwest corner of Cleveland Avenue and East Spring Street, with completion targeted in 2027.
The redevelopment area has also been identified as the future location of a proposed Columbus State YMCA facility, with planning and timelines connected to separate approval and funding steps.
Columbus State has described the Ohio Center for Advanced Technologies as a pathway-building facility designed to connect students to in-demand careers, while supporting regional economic development initiatives tied to major employer expansions.
What happens next
The college is expected to complete pre-design and move into formal design work in 2026. Key next milestones include finalizing the building program, confirming the construction budget based on detailed plans, and establishing a project schedule for procurement and construction once design progresses.
As planning continues, the project’s final scope will determine the lab and training spaces included and how the facility will integrate with existing Columbus State technical programs and accelerated workforce training offerings.