Former Fair Oaks Mall now known as NexusPark

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated.

There will no longer be a Fair Oaks Mall in Columbus. Instead, city and hospital officials say the facility at 25th Street and Central Avenue will now be known as NexusPark. And work will be moving forward quickly to get the new facilities designed, renovated and built.

Development has been largely stalled for about 15 months due to the pandemic.

The first phases of the revamped city portion of the building will include administration offices for the city parks department, fitness areas and locker rooms and activity spaces, along with a new fieldhouse space. Columbus Regional Hospital is planning to use about 50,000 square feet of the building initially for mostly preventative care or wellness-based services. That will include both existing services and growth-opportunities in the areas of primary care, physical medicine and rehabilitative therapies and programs.

The city announced that plans are for an architect and construction manager to be chosen on Tuesday at the city’s Board of Public Works and Safety meeting. Later that evening, Columbus City Council will consider approving the funds to pay for those positions.

Money for the construction of the fieldhouse will come from bonds repaid through local income tax revenues, while the other parks department functions will be paid for by bonds backed by property taxes for parks. CRH trustees approved $13 million earlier this year for its first phase renovations.

Both the city and hospital first phases are to be completed by summer or fall of 2023.