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File #: 2604-2025    Version: 1
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
File created: 9/23/2025 In control: Housing, Homelessness, & Building Committee
On agenda: 9/29/2025 Final action: 10/1/2025
Title: To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a First Amendment to Lease Agreement with the Board of Commissioners for Franklin County for the County's temporary lease of office space within the Karnes Building; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)

Explanation

 

Background: In November 2024, the City completed the purchase of 410 South High Street, Columbus Ohio commonly known as the Karnes Building and Dorrian Commons Park from Franklin County as the site for the future construction of the City’s new facility to house the Franklin County Municipal Court and Municipal Court Clerk and other City offices associated with the Court. Franklin County has requested that it be able to remain in occupancy post-closing and to temporarily lease office space in the building in order to allow the County more time to move its operations out of the building. Authorized by ordinance 2824-2024, the City agreed to temporarily lease office space in the Karnes Building to Franklin County until the City begins demolition of the building in late Fall 2025. This ordinance authorizes the Director of Development to execute a First Amendment to Lease Agreement with the Board of Commissioners for Franklin County for the County's continued temporary lease of office space within the Karnes Building through January 15, 2026.

 

Fiscal Impact: No revenue is to be received.

 

Emergency Action:  Emergency action is requested so that the First Amendment can be executed as soon as possible and the County’s use may continue uninterrupted.

 

 

Title

 

To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a First Amendment to Lease Agreement with the Board of Commissioners for Franklin County for the County's temporary lease of office space within the Karnes Building; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)

 

 

 

Body

 

WHEREAS, the City closed on the purchase of the Karnes Building and Dorrian Commons Park located at 410 South High Street, Columbus Ohio on November 1, 2024; and

 

WHEREAS, Franklin County has requested that it be allowed to remain in occupancy at the Karnes Building post-closing and to temporarily lease office space in the building in order to allow the County more time to move its operations out of the building; and

 

WHEREAS, the City agreed to temporarily lease office space in the Karnes Building to Franklin County until September 30, 2025 and the Parties have now agreed to extend that occupancy until January 15, 2026; and

 

WHEREAS, it is necessary to enter into a First Amendment to Lease Agreement in order to extend the term for the temporary lease of office space by Franklin County; and

 

WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to execute a lease amendment, with the Board of Commissioners for Franklin County for the County's temporary lease of office space within the Karnes Building as the current lease expires September 30, 2025, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,

 

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:

 

Section 1. That the Director of the Department of Development, be and hereby is authorized to enter into a lease amendment, as prepared and approved by the Real Estate Division, Department of Law, by and between the City and the Board of Commissioners for Franklin County for the continued temporary lease of office space within the City's Karnes Building located at 410 South High St.

 

Section 2. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.