COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Athenaeum is on the market for $8.5 million, several months after the downtown property went into foreclosure and a court-appointed receiver assumed control.
A listing posted online this month by The Robert Weiler Company advertises the historic building at 32 N. Fourth St. The property entered foreclosure in September 2023. The court appointed a receiver in October to manage the building and its operations.
The five-story, 160,000-square-foot structure was built in 1898 as a Masonic Temple. It was later converted into an event and wedding venue, known as the Columbus Athenaeum Conference and Special Events Center.
The listing features a ballroom with capacity for more than 1,000 guests and a balcony, a large theater with a deep stage, a smaller banquet room, and the Pine Room restaurant, which includes a full kitchen. Marketing materials state the building has two passenger elevators and two freight elevators. Some furniture, fixtures, and equipment are included in the sale.
Two additional parcels are part of the offering, providing limited parking and space for dumpster storage. Metered parking is available on East Gay and North Young streets. The listing states prospective buyers must show proof of funds and make a substantial deposit to be considered.
The property is for sale after a turbulent year for the venue.
In September 2023, several concerts scheduled at the Athenaeum were moved to other Columbus venues after TempleLive, the owner at the time, canceled its events through December.
Shows by The Waterboys, James McMurtry, and Geordie Greep were relocated to The Bluestone, while The Weight Band’s performance was moved to Skully’s Music Diner. Tickets for the affected shows were either honored at the new venues or refunded.
TempleLive acquired the Athenaeum in early 2023, adding it to a portfolio of former Masonic buildings repurposed as music venues in other U.S. cities. In a September interview with Talk Business & Politics, an Arkansas news outlet, TempleLive CEO Lance Beaty cited “market power consolidation” as a reason for the company’s decision to end operations in several markets.