Once a car dealership, a 1932-built condo building brings a little New York industrial edge to Columbus, Ohio, according to the listing agent.
Most condos in downtown Columbus are “formal” and traditional, said DeLena Ciamacco of ReMax, making the artsy, raw aesthetic of a 6,347-square-foot unit a rare find.
The building was built in 1932 and once housed a DeSoto car dealership, said Ciamacco, before being converted around 2012. The condo, listed for $2.49 million, is hidden in plain sight behind two average-looking single-family homes off of Third Avenue. Between those two homes, down a slim walkway is the entry door for the building.
Inside, exposed brick abounds, and a small sign of the DeSoto dealership harks back. Unit 213 has been remodeled in a black-and-white scheme, leaving all the color and flair up to the original art.
The owner, Donald Halpern, is an artist and recognized inventor known for Loctote, an anti-theft line of bags that scored him a spot on ABC’s “Shark Tank” in 2017.
Much of the art in the home can be purchased by the homebuyer, confirmed Ciamacco.
“This has the true loft and outdoor living, which most of our units don’t have down here either,” said Ciamacco in an interview with Homes.com.
The home has three bedrooms, four full bathrooms and one half-bath between its two levels. The main level has all three bedrooms, a billiards room, office, theater, coffee bar, laundry room, four-person sauna and studio room. The second floor is made for entertaining and lounging.
The top level includes a second kitchen with built-in window seating, dishwasher, gas range, and refrigerator that opens up to a 29-by-23-foot great room. The entire level is surrounded by windows and extends to an outdoor deck with a covered, screened porch, a dog run, and a bocce court.
The unit has two indoor parking spaces and a monthly homeowners association fee of $1,140.
Arts district location
This condo is located in the Short North area of Columbus that Ciamacco describes as a walkable, art-centric area. Before it became a vibrant part of the city, Short North was home to boarded-up and abandoned buildings, according to the Short North Alliance, much like what the former dealership had been.
By 1980, the Short North Arts District was founded and the presence of art galleries boomed.
Homes in the Short North neighborhood have an average value of $476,866, according to Homes.com, and an average price per square foot of $316. This condo has a price per square foot of $394.
The priciest sale this year in Short North was a $1.72 million single-family home with 3,794 square feet, four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and one half-bath. It sold in January. In October 2024, a two-bedroom, two full bath, and one-half bath condo sold for $1.32 million.
