Outgoing Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop says one of his proudest projects is the city’s reuse of a vacant mall.
There are still more mall walkers than shoppers at the former Fair Oaks Mall. But soon, residents will have more than empty storefronts to walk by. The $92 million transformation of the mall into a health, wellness, and recreation center is scheduled to be done by April.
Lienhoop said they expect 1,000 visitors a day and up to 10,000 over the weekend.
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“When I was a young boy, I played baseball across the street at Lincoln Park and my brother and I would come by this place and just comment about the fact that it would make a great addition to the park,” Lienhoop said.
It’s called NexusPark, a collaboration between the city, its parks department and Columbus Regional Health. The mall was purchased for almost $6 million in 2018 with the city taking 75 percent ownership.
Workers are busy finishing up the fieldhouse bigger than two and a half football fields to host soccer and softball games. It will also have two collegiate size basketball courts, two high school sized courts, or with a different configuration – ten pickleball or volleyball courts.
Indiana University Columbus will also use the facility as its home court.
“There will be things here for people to do in between their games,” Lienhoop said pointing to a large lounge area with concession stands and plenty of retail and dining space yet to be filled.
Columbus Regional Health will move many of their clinical practices to a portion of the building.
“If you live here and you’ve got some healthcare needs, they’ll be able to take care of it all here under one roof, so you won’t have to drive around town,” Lienhoop said.
He said the clinic will be a welcome change to how healthcare is delivered.
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“The City of Columbus along with Bartholomew Consolidated Schools will have a clinic, same day next day service for our employees at no additional charge.”
The city’s parks department will also move here featuring community rooms, a fitness center, a child watch center, teaching kitchens and more.
Lienhoop said funding comes from some loans, parks and city bonds, and the state’s READI grant program.
“We folded this project into READI request and that money we received has allowed us to accelerate the phases that would have taken five to seven years.”
The final stage will complete exterior work such as green space, parking, and park projects.
