herr2ck: The Fair

February 2026.

Fair Avenue Elementary School is a Richardsonian design by prominent Columbus architect Frank Packard before his partnership with Joseph W. Yost, forming the notable firm of Yost & Packard. Located in a gentrifying section of the Franklin Park neighborhood, it is an excellent example of the stylistic shift of Columbus schools from Italianate and Second Empire designs to the Richardsonian Romanesque work of the 1890s.

Fair Avenue Elementary is located at 1395 Fair Avenue in the Franklin Park neighborhood, which is east of downtown Columbus, Ohio. It is bordered by Fair Avenue and various early 20th-century homes to the north, Oak Street and the site of the original East High School to the south, Kutchins Place to the east, and more houses to the west. It is about two blocks west of Franklin Park.

History

1897 photo of Fair Avenue Elementary’s exterior. (Wikimedia)

Fair Avenue Elementary School is one of a large series of schools built in Columbus between 1880-1900, as the population was growing rapidly during that time. Before 1893, when David Riebel was hired as the first architect of Columbus City Schools, the city commissioned various local architects one project at a time for schools across the city. Fair Avenue Elementary was designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by Frank Packard (eventually of Yost & Packard), who was commissioned in 1889 at a fee of $672. Packard’s expensive appointment apparently caused the school board to eventually hire Riebel to save costs. Construction was completed in 1890 at a cost of $32,692.

1940s view of the first addition. (Ohio History Connection)

As it stands today, Fair Avenue Elementary consists of several additions. The first addition dates to 1900 and is a rectangular expansion on the south side of the building connected by a small passageway. It has identical materiality to the original, but lacks decorative details such as a cornice or vaulting.

c. 1960s photo of the building. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)

Fair Avenue Elementary was renovated in a three-phase project in 1949, 1953, and 1955, probably removing original features on the interior. A two-story Mid-Century Modern addition to the west side of the school was completed in 1957, as Columbus schools were facing larger enrollments, and it brought the school to a capacity of 132 students. A third addition, only one story high but more sprawling in plan, dates to 1963. Despite all of these additions, the original building is largely intact on the exterior today. In 1967, a firebomb was detonated inside the building, but it did not cause serious damage.

Fair Avenue Elementary closed in 2010, and it was listed for sale in 2012. In 2013, A+ Arts Academy purchased it for $300,000, and they still use the building today.

Photos

It was overcast when I visited (which helped, since this building faces north), but somehow I still had glare issues. Anyways, here is an oblique view approaching from the east:

These large two- to three-story schools always dominate the surrounding area, especially if they incorporate towers as this one does. This was back in an era when schools were meant to be the architectural landmarks of a neighborhood. Luckily, the city of Columbus seems to have realized this now and put a little more effort into their preservation.

The Fair Avenue facade--this glare will be a recurring theme:

Pretty simple tripartite composition. The entrance is emphasized with the prominent central tower and ennobled with a large Richardsonian arch. The wings appear secondary but still have gables with corner turrets. Unlike his partner Yost, Packard leaned into a more symmetrical interpretation of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in his work.

Detail of the arched portal:

Packard’s ornamentation is very interesting here. The florid column capitals appear to unravel onto the rusticated stone imposts that the large arch thrusts upwards from. This has an almost Sullivanesque tendency of ornament as a plastic, almost living feature that appeared to be part of the building material itself, versus the clumsier nature of “applied” ornamentation that was also common of the era. Note that the end of these little flourishes align perfectly with the bottom springer.

There are some nice repeating patterns on the archivolts, too:

This tower is pretty dang cool.

It has the classic polychromy of the style, contrasting a dark ashlar with red brick. However, the vaulting at the very top seems to be a redder sandstone or terra-cotta.

Time to bust out the telephoto lens for some in-depth shots of the architectural details. The tower springs from a small denticulated cornice:

Rectangular windows at the base of the tower:

Note the textural difference between the smooth stone window mullions and the rusticated, serrated border.

Detail of the carved sign--dang telephone lines!

I like the little flourish on the arch keystones on top, as well as the grotesques on the edges:

I still can’t comprehend how despite being overcast, there were still glare issues. My lens hoods don’t work when the sun is directly in front of me, either.

It’s a little better exposed in this oblique view:

A closer look at the vaulting here:

The peak is looking a little rough. Granted, I’ve been in Milo Arts’ roof (stay tuned) and the staff there told me that they’ve been repairing it almost nonstop. The elements take a toll after 136 years.

Very symmetrical.

The tower is surrounded by two smaller ones with conical roofs. I’m not sure what their purpose is, maybe for spiral staircases?

Tall, thin windows with a disproportionate arch:

Roof and pinnacle:

Aside from the projecting bay with a gable on top, the remainder of the wings are bare brick.

Detail of the first floor windows, which have contrasting stone sills and lintels:

Each of the rounded corners of the gable has a decorated terra-cotta base:

The top of the gable has three small vaulted windows, and the parapet has more terra-cotta coping capped with an ornamental flourish:

The eastern facade has a similar design to the wings, but one of them is set back slightly:

The eastern addition, which dates to 1963:

The 1957 addition on the opposite side:

While wandering around by the site of old East High School, I stopped by the back, too. The additions make the footprint much more sprawling:

Based on the historic photo of the 1900 addition, the fire escapes and doors here are alterations, though they were likely very early in the building’s history based on their appearance.