The Wyandotte Building was commissioned by John G. Deshler of Deshler National Bank and Associates and opened in 1898, and named for the Wyandot people.[2][5] It was Columbus' first steel-frame skyscraper at 11 stories.[6] The steel frame building with a tile framed entry is part of the Chicago School of architecture and was built to be fireproof.[2] The facade has vertical rows of bay windows which are intended to provide light, ventilation and extra floor space.[7] The interior has rich wood and marble finishes with terra cotta trimmed arched entries.[8]
It was a commercial failure and in 1916, it was sold to the State of Ohio for use as an office building.[2][6] The building was surveyed for the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1955.[2] In 1979, it was extensively renovated after the state moved out to the Rhodes State Office Tower in 1974.[8]
In 2014, Huntington Bank purchased the building for $3.6 million,[7] and placed it up for sale a decade later, aiming to redevelop the property.[9]
