“Gentrification at its Finest,” Campus Laundry & Dollar Tree Closing

I’ve been doing my laundry at Campus Laundry for well over five years now and sometime in late October, the building along with the Dollar Tree will be demolished.

“Obviously I’m not thrilled losing my business.” The owner of Campus Laundry said to me over the phone, they wished to be somewhat anonymous.

The Campus Laundry is a large facility with dozens of washers and dryers, vending machines and a huge parking lot — something now uncommon for the area directly north of the Short North. They’re the largest laundromat in the area.

According to the owner, the Columbus Zoning Laws passed in 2009 affected their building which requires the minimum height for redevelopment of buildings between 5th & Arcadia to be at least two stories (save for the library, Krogers, etc.) — the first story is required commercial with the second story required residential. Ultimately, Campus Laundry and the Dollar General didn’t fit into this ordinance and now are being “razed to the ground,” the owner said.

“This is gentrification at its finest. This laundromat and dollar store were vital to the community, and our customers are the most diverse in Columbus. We wash and fold for folks staying in hotels like the Hilton that don’t want to pay the hotel’s laundry prices. OSU students, and young professionals that don’t have a washer and dryer. But 30% of people coming into my store are walking and once we’re gone the closest laundromat is three-quarters of a mile away.”

According to a Bizjournal article, redevelopment has been in the works since 2011, and the most recent plan includes a Six-Story Mixed Use Building with 156 apartment units, 16,000 square feet of retail and 140 parking spaces.

“We fought for two years. We don’t have a choice.” The owner said.

We left the conversation with some important advice on where to go for laundry. I’m without a laundromat, but I’m mobile and have a car. Others are not so lucky, and the simple act of washing one’s clothes could be a bus ride or longer away.

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