Thurber Towers
645 Neil Ave. #302

Pedestrians: please use entrance at Goodale & Neil Ave

Thurber Tower, sometimes referred to as the Mary Tyler Moore building, is where creative duo, Donna & Bruce Siple chose to locate after a major downsizing. Their floor plan home opens up to a southwest facing terrace where they enjoy morning coffee and evening sunsets.

Get ready for something different!
This residence, with its maximalist sensibilities and eclectic style offers unexpected delights throughout including vintage toys collection, art deco vases and glassware Neon carousel heart, Mona Lisa images, Heywood Wakefield furniture and serigraphs by Zap Comix illustrator, Robert Crumb

But the chief attraction of this unique space can be summed up in one word: Plastic.

Since childhood, Bruce has collected thousands vintage toys, picnicware pieces, bottle caps, broken taillights, colorful vinyl records, display units and other items. His palette of “circus colors” is dominated by yellow, orange, red, pink and green. He arranges these items into spectacular displays of color and symmetry. A 17’ x 9’ wall is his main display area. The other key feature is a coffee table with layers of glass, each held up by laundry detergent caps. Every layer is a mandala of small, whimsical plastic objects.

The apartment also includes a small studio bedecked with Bruce’s drawings. He draws every day, and leaves pencil drawings wherever he goes. He says restaurant kitchens and cash registers are his galleries. He signs drawings with his nom d’art, Jippo.

READ COLUMBUS NAVIGATOR ARTICLE published Sept 5, 2024 »

1309 Neil Avenue

This Victorian home was built shortly after Anne Dennison platted “Dennison Park Addition” in 1888. Anne Dennison, eldest daughter of William and Hannah Neil (namesakes of Neil Avenue) was one of the first women in the country to lay out a subdivision. The neighborhood eventually became known as “the Circles,” because of unique circular intersections that serve as parks. The garage was added in 1920 as the automobile age took off.

The home is 3,050 sq ft and has adapted through the ages. In the 1970s and 80s Battelle owned the house and divided it up into apartments. Eventually the house was brought back together as a single family home – significant improvements were made over the past 25 years.

Joe and Nick purchased the home in 2021 and recently completed a kitchen renovation. The foyer kitchen wallpaper features peacocks – a theme in the decor that has been adopted as the house ‘mascot’. The homeowner’s art collection ranges from local artists to contemporary. Their most recent piece was a commission by local artist, Adam Hernandez featuring their cat, Pixie Bob.

Neighbors have come to love Joe and Nick’s Halloween decor, which turns their front yard into a spooky but friendly graveyard.

Architecture notes by Dean Berlon, urban order architecture ~
This house is all about making a statement. Here, you’re looking at a rare and striking example of a Victorian home with a rusticated stone front. While most homes in Columbus at the time were built with brick—thanks to its local availability and lower cost—stone was a luxury. It had to be imported and carefully dressed and sized, making it a symbol of prosperity. Even the flat ‘jack’ arches above the windows are crafted from the same high-end stone, so it’s clear that the original owner wanted to show off. Every surface is considered. Look up and you’ll see a slate roof adorned with a decorative diamond pattern, a design echoed in the diamond arrangement of shingles along the top cornice of the porch and the gable ends peeking over the stone walls. The double-arched porch detailing seems to defy gravity, with sturdy stone columns supporting an open second-floor balcony, adding to the house’s grandeur.

This is a home that was built to dazzle!

141 E. 3rd Avenue

Homeowner Eric Harter enjoys living in a non-standard dwelling and this historic industrial building fits the bill for him. Eric’s art collection is extensive and a unique variety of media including sculptures – view his collection »

Architecture notes by Dean Berlon, urban order architecture
Welcome to a piece of industrial history in the heart of the Italian Village neighborhood. This 1890’s industrial brick building is a fantastic example of the industrial structures that popped up around Italian Village in the late 1800s. With no zoning codes, this area became a mix of homes, small businesses, and industrial buildings, all existing side by side.

The distinctive sawtooth roof design—it’s not just for show. This clever design features four rows of north-facing clerestory windows that flood the interior with natural light. High windows on the side walls keep the space open and airy, perfect for maximizing workspace.

Fast forward to late 1990s when the building underwent a loft conversion by Bruce Shumard – he transformed the building into 3 unique residential condos. Today, you’re touring the front half of the original building. The other two condos face Punta Alley and boast their own private courtyards.

The home includes a rare mix of art from obscure avant-garde to artifacts that tell forgotten stories. Each piece is carefully chosen including interactive sculptures that bring joy and surprise to guests. A vintage camera collection is perched along a brick ridge and photos reflect Eric’s friends, family travels and unique vision.

This building is a wonderful example of how old industrial spaces can be saved and reimagined for modern living.

Bonus Stop:
Mikeys Late Night Slice at historic Oddfellows
1038 N. High St. 

Mikey’s Late Night Slice at historic Oddfellows where tour attendees can stop for a break, get a half off slice of pizza and drink specials –

The Oddfellows building has a storied history as part of the Short North neighborhood and we’re proud to showcase this landmark where each item on the wall was hand picked to fit the space perfectly by bar owner, Mike Sorboro. They all have a storied past, an important present, and probably a funny story about how they got here. “It took me about a year and a half to collect all this ‘junk’ and almost cost me an engagement!”

Sorboro says “We’re not the first Oddfellows to occupy this building! In fact, The Odd Fellows built this building! Take a look at the front of our building. At the very top, you’ll see the letters IOOF. That stands for the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows. The IOOF began in 18th Century England as a global altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization. The original Odd Fellows were men who were engaged in various or odd trades that didn’t have the numbers to form the security provided by a trade guild or union like the Masons. These workers of “odd jobs” banded together and initially met in the back rooms of pubs, paying a penny per week in dues that would help members who fell ill or had passed away. Eventually, the idea spread and formed a network of more formalized Lodges and the Odd Fellows developed their own unique rituals, philosophy, and purpose. Although few in number these days, Odd Fellows Chapters still exist and are active all over the country. We call ourselves Oddfellows as a nod to the building, the organization’s history and the men who built it.”

Mikey’s Late Night Slice is on the patio side of Oddfellows where their famous pizza is cooked inside a cargo container fitted out as their kitchen. Sit at outdoor tables, enjoy a half price slice & the drink special – get your second wind before you go onto the next stop on the tour!

47 W. 3rd Avenue

In 1880, Charles A. Stribling, a local architect, and his wife Hattie Stribling, purchased the land at 47 W 3rd Avenue from James A. Aston and constructed the original house and completed no later than 1887. The house is a two-story brick Italianate structure with heavy Victorian influences.

In the 1910s an addition was added to the front of the house, which eliminated a side porch but added a new main staircase with stained glass windows. Similar nearby houses with the original front façade design can be found on W 3rd and W 2nd Avenues. Walking around the neighborhood, you can observe other homes with some of the same Italianate details, like the corbels or the lintels accenting the windows. Another addition was added to the back of the house in the mid-1900s. At some point, the house was split into two dwelling units before being reunited many years later.

Architecture notes by Dean Berlon, urban order architecture
47 W Third is a lively Italianate gem with a splash of Victorian flair.  This house is a visual delight with its intricate roofline featuring deep overhangs, ornate brackets, and charming diamond trim. There is a decorative belt course that elegantly separates the second and third floors. Notice the elaborately carved stone lintels over all the windows and doors, adding a touch of grandeur.

The wide projecting gable roof on the left side is a unique detail that gives the house a whimsical, non-symmetrical charm. This design ties in beautifully with the elaborate two-story bay window on the side, complete with recessed panels and fish scales—a nod to later Victorian style.

The wide front porch, with its gabled roof, is supported by doubled Ionic columns resting on solid brick bases, creating a welcoming and majestic entrance.  This house is a delightful blend of Italianate elegance and Victorian exuberance.

59 W. 3rd Avenue

30 Price Avenue

The Short North’s latest residential midrise is GreenHouse – a unique residential apartment community in the Short North Neighborhood designed for those who seek respite from a busy urban world. A place where wellbeing, nature, and transformation coexist just steps from High Street; offering studio, one & two-bedroom apartments, plus penthouse and townhome residences.

Community amenities include an elevated pool deck with hot & cold plunges, luxury fitness studio featuring TechnoGym equipment, community room with full kitchen, a rooftop meditation terrace,vand EV charging stations inside a gated resident-only parking garage. Additionally, Green|House offers a wellness corridor with a traditional sauna and two private treatment rooms that will feature a rotation of local wellness providers. A community app offers concierge services including apartment cleaning, dog walking, car detailing, special offers from neighborhood businesses and more.

Green|House residents have exclusive access to GRO, a transformational wellness program made up of monthly learnings designed to build habits that improve and transform your life over the course of a year. This includes instructional content from wellness experts, in-person events and a GRO tool kit provided at move-in.

775 Park St.

Built in 1888, this home is a classic Queen Anne with an asymmetrical façade. One of the standout features is the large front window. Back in the day, oversized glass was a luxury, and would typically only be found on the public side of the house. This charming home is a perfect blend of intricate details and historical elegance, making it a true Queen Anne gem.

The house sold in 1891 at a sheriff’s sale and used by Ohio Medical College that eventually became The Ohio State University medical school. In the 1960’s the home was converted into five apartments and all porches were removed except for one over the front door. The front doors were removed at this time and stored in an antique shop on High Street. They were eventually found intact in the 1980s and returned to the house.

Current owners, Beth and Rob Vogt purchased the home in 1990, renovated the house and removed the remnants of the apartments. They found an early photo of the house with the original porches intact and had them duplicated. A two-car garage was added to mimic the characteristics of the 1892 addition with a rear deck area. The unfinished third floor attic has been converted into their family room.

Most plantings are perennials. The Dawn Redwood was originally planted in the backyard by the previous owners and was about 9’ tall. It has transformed the front yard from mostly sun to mostly shade and still growing.