The Wadsworth School Board received a proposal for the purchase of the Central Intermediate School building from One Central Commons group on Dec. 20, 2024.
The One Central Commons is a Wadsworth-based development group consisting of Bob Thurber and Todd Baughman.
They plan to revitalize the property by creating housing, updating the gymnasium, preserving OJ Work Auditorium, and adding other amenities.
“It will be a mixed-use building,” said Todd Baughman, one of the members of the development team. “Some retail and office on the lower floors and a couple of higher-end urban-style apartments on the top floor.”
The offer is for $300,000 with a fast close, they are not requesting a real estate tax reduction to ensure consistent contributions to local revenue.
One Central Commons group has split the first phase of the project into three parts: O.J. Work Auditorium, the gymnasium and the One Central Professional and Community Hub.
They plan to remodel and update the acoustics, seating and lighting in the O.J. Work Auditorium while still focusing on maintaining its historical significance. It is planned to be a venue for theater performances, community events and educational programming.
“We have had so many people approach us with interest in helping in the full restoration of such an iconic venue,” Baughman said.
The goal is for the updated auditorium to attract visitors and support local businesses while preserving its history.
“We have been approached by a couple of seasoned general managers that are talking/promising approximately 50 plus shows that should fill the theatre,” Baughman said. “These shows will not be the typical local recitals that Wadsworth has seen in the past. These shows will attract a packed house of mostly new visitors to Wadsworth.”
The next part of the project is the restoration of the gymnasium, which is planned to be a community space for recreation and sports. There will be renovated courts and fitness areas, as well as more flexible spaces for community use.
The final stage in the first phase is for the One Central Professional and Community Hub. This part of the proposal focuses on remodeling the building to accommodate professional offices, small businesses and community support initiatives.
This will feature a Meet-and-Greet Cafe, professional office spaces and community support services such as free medical and dental clinics.
“Having more office space in CIS will help free up some of the downtown storefronts so they can attract more restaurant/entertainment tenants that will be able to accommodate these 50,000 new outsiders visiting Wadsworth,” Baughman said.
The next phase of the project is to create high-end urban apartments and “theatre suites” for out-of-town visitors.
The plan is to construct a complex of three to five one-bedroom apartments. These apartments are aimed toward single professionals.
These apartments are projected to be ready in the next three to five years.
The Urban Stays “Theatre Suites” are planned to be located near the remodeled O.J. Work Auditorium. They will provide short-term accommodations for visitors from out-of-town.
There will also be the option of purchasing packages where staying at the theater suits can include tickets to a show and dinner at a local restaurant.
These suites are meant to attract more visitors to Wadsworth and make it a more desirable destination.
The One Central Commons group is not scheduled to gain access to the building until January 2026.
“We have prospective business tenants currently planning on occupying soon after January 2026,” Baughman said. “We will quickly start the repair and restoration of the auditorium right away as well. We think the community will see a lot of quick improvements in 2026, but it will take three to five years to be pushing full occupancy.”
This proposal was not the only offer that the Wadsworth School Board received to purchase the CIS building.
“We found that the proposal from One Central Commons not only scored the highest on the Board’s evaluation rubric but also best accomplished the goals of the CIS community committee regarding the future of the existing CIS building after the new building was completed,” said Amanda Gordon, president of Wadsworth’s Board of Education.
One Central Commons plans to completely renovate the building while still keeping its more historically significant aspects, like O.J. Work Auditorium. The goal is for the building to serve multiple roles in the community.
“The revival will meet a number of community needs and will serve our community well.,” Gordon said. “It will be a key asset to attract more folks to our wonderful downtown area and will hopefully in turn benefit the other downtown area businesses.”
Gordon believes that the proposed plan for the CIS building fit in well with other planned improvements to the City of Wadsworth.
The Board of Education has directed the superintendent to move forward with the negotiations and preparations necessary to move forward with the transaction with One Central Commons.