A historic downtown Columbus church is being transformed into a new concert venue. Plans to convert the former Central Presbyterian Church at 132 S. 3rd St. into Wrightsel Music Hall are moving forward, with construction expected to be mostly complete by next fall.
The roughly $20 million project is led by the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, which purchased the church for $589,000 in 2013. While the sandstone facade remains unchanged, an adjacent parking lot and brick addition were demolished to make room for the new hall. Most of the work has taken place inside the building, including safety updates and extensive structural shoring.
CAPA operates the Ohio, Palace, Southern and Lincoln theaters, as well as the Riffe Center Theatre Complex. “We’re excited to take care of another building. It’s important for us to have its history preserved – and at the same time, daunting,” said Chad Whittington, CAPA’s chief executive and president.
Construction crews have faced surprises along the way. With little historical documentation of how the church was built, workers tore down a wall behind the stage and discovered wood instead of brick. The project weathered delays from a spate of bad weather in 2025 but is back on track for its fall debut next year.
