William J. Lhota Building

William J. Lhota Building

Company type	Headquarters
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	1905 (1905)
Headquarters	Columbus, Ohio , United States
Area served	Central Ohio
Products	Office space, transit administration
Owner	Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)

The William J. Lhota Building stands as a notable historic office structure located on High Street in the heart of downtown Columbus, Ohio. It functions as the main headquarters for the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), which operates the city's public transportation system. While owned by COTA, the building also leases out office spaces to various other entities. In 2014, it was officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the High and Gay Streets Historic District.

Attributes

Also identified as 33 N. High Street and formerly known as the New First National Bank Building, this property serves as COTA’s central administrative hub. The premises accommodate administrative staff, a bus operator check-in area, fare sales, and ticket vending machines. Initially constructed to house a bank on its ground floor with offices above, it has historically been home to legal and insurance companies occupying the upper stories.

COTA chose this site because of its prime downtown location at the intersection of Broad and High streets, aligning directly with the core of its transit network that operates on a hub-and-spoke system. This strategic positioning boosts both agency prominence and rider convenience while reinforcing COTA’s dedication to downtown Columbus revitalization efforts. Notably, there is no parking provided for employees, encouraging staff reliance on public transportation.

Following interior upgrades, the building achieved LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2012, highlighting COTA’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

Architecture

Conceived by Pittsburgh-based architects McCollum & Dowler—their only project in Columbus—the building ranks among the largest and tallest within the High and Gay Streets Historic District. It is one of four historic banking edifices that contribute to the district's overall architectural significance. Exhibiting early 20th-century commercial architectural style, it features classical motifs and a decorative cornice crowning its steel frame structure, typical of mixed-use downtown buildings combining banking functions with office spaces.

The east elevation is composed of three bays; meanwhile, the south face extends across twenty-three bays and is finished with buff-colored brick accented by terra cotta detailing. The two-story entrance on High Street is framed by stone pilasters and originally included columns topped by a pediment reaching up to the third floor. Terra cotta pilasters along with semi-engaged columns highlight the third story, while the tenth floor boasts elaborate ornamentation including consoles beneath windows, terra cotta panels, and a bracketed cornice.

A 1964 renovation modified the first-floor exterior and lobby to accommodate Walker's Men's Store. Some of the ornate features on the east facade continue slightly onto Pearl Street, where bays are generally more understated with rectangular windows, modest cornices on select levels, and horizontal brick banding. The west (Wall Street) and north sides are primarily functional in design with minimal decorative elements; a portion of the north facade is obscured by an adjacent structure.

History

Constructed in 1905, the Lhota Building was associated with influential figures such as Nicholas Schlee of Schlee Brewing Company, W.H. Jones from Jones Witter Company, and James Kilbourne representing Kilbourne and Jacobs Manufacturing Co. Around 1919, it served as headquarters for the Ohio State Life Insurance Company. Retail tenants occupied the first floor over several decades—Kibler Men's Clothing during the 1930s and Walker's Men's Store from the 1950s until the mid-1980s—while smaller professional offices filled upper levels. The building also functioned as headquarters for both the Ohio Republican Party and architect David Riebel’s practice. In later years, URS Corporation leased the entire building.

As COTA’s offices on McKinley Avenue became overcrowded, the agency acquired this property in 2008 and undertook extensive renovations including upgraded flooring, finishes, workstations, lighting systems, HVAC improvements, and mechanical infrastructure. COTA subsequently moved its ticketing operations and bus operator sign-in from Capitol Square to this location. In 2012, it was named in honor of COTA’s former CEO William J. Lhota.

Between July and November 2019, COTA allocated $2.3 million to redesign the first-floor lobby into a modern "customer experience center." This renovation introduced a large overhead display presenting fare information and services, interactive touch-screen kiosks, digital ticket vending machines, high ceilings, and enhanced lighting fixtures. Exterior enhancements comprised accessible ramps along with new doors and windows aimed at improving customer access and overall experience.

External links

• Emporis
• SkyscraperPage