Columbus Board of Trade Building

The Columbus Board of Trade Building was a historic building on Capitol Square in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. The building was built in 1889 for the present-day Columbus Chamber of Commerce, and was designed by Elah Terrell and Joseph W. Yost.

Columbus Board of Trade Building
General information
Address	30 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio
Coordinates	39.96267°N 82.99966°W / 39.96267; -82.99966
Opened	July 23, 1889
Closed	August 1964
Demolished	December 1969
Design and construction
Architect	Elah Terrell, Joseph W. Yost

The building housed the city's fourth and current organized chamber of commerce, which was established in 1884, initially headquartered at the old City Hall. In 1886, the group purchased a tavern known as the Buckeye House or Gardner House for $45,000. Both its demolition and construction of the new building began that year. The total cost was about $165,000.[1]

On May 3, 1888, workers removed scaffolding amid construction, unexpectedly collapsing a basement ceiling arch. Two people were killed and another worker was seriously injured.[2][3] The event shocked the organization's members, who considered abandoning construction.[1] Work nevertheless continued, and the building was opened on July 23, 1889.[4]

The building had a 2,000-seat auditorium at the rear of the building, razed in 1932.[1][5]

In 1964, the building became vacant, and it was demolished in 1969 to make way for the Rhodes State Office Tower, which sits on the site today.