Tour Stop 5: 95 E. 1st Avenue – Apt 1
Owner: Joshua Ryan Grossman
The apartment is one of eight in the building that were built in 1920. The additional two, which are wider and include coal cellars, were added in 1929 and 1939. The apartments were constructed in what was once an industrial area; an oil refinery resided where the Frank Elmer-designed New Village Apartments now sit, and a chroming plant was to the east. Blackburn Sheet Metal, a still thriving business, makes the back property line. Each row house measures slightly over 1000 square feet.
The home has been completely renovated twice, as two major fires engulfed the structure. The first in the late 70s destroyed most of the first floor, and another in 2009 consumed most of the second floor. The previous owner exposed the brick, and with no south facing windows, Joshua worked to make the apartment feel bright and warm.
The art on the first floor is from Columbus artists including Laura Alexander, Jay Moffet, Nikos Rutkowski, Adam Hernandez, Rick Borg, Michael Bush, and Dyani Robarge.