Columbus entrepreneur has big vision for former Neighborhood house site on Near East Side

The building that housed the Neighborhood House , once a social services hub on Columbus' Near East Side, was purchased by a local realty firm from the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority.

Moses Realty, owned by Freweini Alemayoh , acquired the more than three-acre property for $1.5 million with funding from Adelphi Bank , Freedom Equity Inc. and the state of Ohio and plans to make it a business and community hub.

The more than 52,000-square-foot building at 1000 Atcheson Street will be used to support various "community-centric operations," according to Moses Realty. Those operations will include child care, workforce development, youth athletics and small local food-based businesses.

Alemayoh is a local entrepreneur , originally from Tigray, Ethiopia, who also owns Flavor 91 Bistro in Whitehall.

Alemayoh called the purchase "divine timing."

"Acquiring and repurposing the Neighborhood House is a pivotal step for our community, transforming a historic cornerstone into a vibrant hub for businesses and community organizations," she said.

What is the Neighborhood House?

The Neighborhood House opened in 1909 and closed in 2016, despite local efforts to save it. It suffered from years of funding issues but was beloved by community members who said at the time it had helped thousands of people throughout its years in operation.

While open, it offered services including child care, after school programs, alcohol and drug counseling, senior transportation, computer classes and a food pantry.

It was part of the settlement house movement to bring social services to underserved neighborhoods. Other local settlement houses still in operation include: Central Community House , also on the city's Near East Side; Gladden Community House , in Franklinton; and St. Stephen's Community House , on the Northeast Side.

'Helping a small business create big opportunities.'

Partnerships between different local and state groups made the purchase possible, according to a release on the sale from Freedom Equity.

Adelphi Bank and Freedom Equity are both Black-led local institutions and leveraged federal dollars through the Ohio Department of Development CDFI Loan Participation Program , with support from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI).

“This is a great example of how we can work together," said Jack Green, chief lending officer at Adelphi. "Adelphi Bank, Freedom Equity and the State of Ohio working for the good of the community. We are happy to have played a part in helping a small business create big opportunities."

Alemayoh said she hopes to build businesses, create jobs, stimulate local spending and reverse the historical economic setbacks that have impacted the Near East Side community.

“Our investment and partnership have strong potential to attract more investment, new businesses, support existing ones, increase property values and enhance the overall quality of life for the residents, setting the table for long-term prosperity and economic growth in the community,” she said.

dking@dispatch.com

@DanaeKing

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus entrepreneur has big vision for former Neighborhood house site on Near East Side