Suburban Wasteland
A case study surrounding an abandoned housing development in the City of Whitehall, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio.
Suburban Wasteland Video
The condos fell into disrepair, leading the city to declare them a nuisance.
A 12-year legal battle between residents, property owners, and city politicians ensued. The city acquired and presented plans for a new development that would displace residents to make room for higher-rent apartments and gentrification. Despite repeated denial from city officials, local activists revealed documents proving that the city has had plans to “redevelop” the neighborhood since 2009 when they contracted a construction firm to design blueprints for a mixed-use development.
In March 2022, I met a former resident while walking the streets of Woodcliff one last time. She said that residents were kicked out of their homes with a month’s notice, and the city’s treatment of them left her feeling as abandoned as the empty shells of homes standing before us.
Woodcliff’s last remaining condos were demolished in February 2023 to make way for a new $300 million apartment complex.
