Schooley Caldwell

10/28/2026

We love learning the history behind the buildings we work on. The only downside? Some of those stories are a little haunting.

In the spirit of Halloween, here are the spooky legends behind three of our historic preservation projects.

The Ohio Statehouse
The Statehouse’s history runs deep. Inmates from the Ohio Penitentiary helped build it, and during the Civil War it served the Union cause as a hospital. In 1865, after President Lincoln’s assassination, his funeral train traveled from Washington, D.C., to Illinois, and his body lay in state in the rotunda. Legend has it his ghost still lingers there, along with lawmakers who never quite left their posts. Read more:
https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/9-spooky-things-you-never-knew-about-ohio-statehouse/530-407eae80-1d8f-4ef7-8d66-837c86990d81

The Moonville Tunnel
Tucked away in Vinton County, the Moonville Tunnel once served a small mining town. When the mines closed and the railroad fell out of use, the town was abandoned, but the tunnel and a small cemetery remained. The legend is that a railroad worker who died by being crushed on the train tracks haunts the tunnel at night, using a lantern to light his way, making him appear like a glowing orb. Read more:
https://www.ravenwoodcastle.com/2015/07/14/legends-lore-moonville-tunnel/

Twin City Opera House
The Twin City Opera House has a long history of paranormal activity, even getting ghost hunters from a television series to do an episode at the site. The opera house is said to have 14 ghosts haunting the building, with 10 officially given names. The most notable is Robert, who originally worked on the catwalk and tragically died in an accident. However, one ghost haunts an old tunnel system nicknamed "the black pit": Charlie, who hurts anyone who comes down, gives visitors an unsettling feeling. The opera house still books haunted tours to this day. Read more:
https://projects.thepostathens.com/SpecialProjects/beyond-the-bubble/the-haunting-of-the-twin-city-opera-house.html

10/19/2026

What a privilege to witness a new piece of Ohio history as we celebrated the unveiling of the Ohio Women’s Monument!

Designed by internationally recognized artist and sculptor Brenda Councill, the monument commemorates the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote with the 19th Amendment. It features four etched granite columns and nine bronze figures honoring generations of Ohio women, including astronaut Judith Resnik, suffragist Belle Sherwin, and JoAnn Davidson, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Ohio House.

We’re grateful to have helped bring this project to life alongside so many dedicated partners. It’s an honor to continue our work at the Ohio Statehouse, a building we have been proud stewards of for many decades.

To learn more, here are some articles that go into more detail about the monument:
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2026/10/14/ohio-womens-monument-unveiled-at-statehouse-a-great-day-for-women/92234708007/

https://www.statenews.org/government-politics/2026-10-14/monument-to-women-in-history-dedicated-at-ohio-statehouse

https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/ohio-unveils-monument-to-womens-accomplishments/

10/14/2026

We’re thrilled to celebrate the successful completion of the Monroe Theatre renovation in Woodsfield, Ohio!

The revitalized Monroe Theatre brings new life to a historic gathering place, combining the charm and character of this 1939 building with modern amenities, improved accessibility, and expanded opportunities for performances, entertainment, and community events. It is a wonderful example of how investing in our historic places can help revitalize downtowns and create lasting value for generations to come.

This renovation was funded in part by the Appalachia Community Grant Program, a $500 million initiative to fund transformational development across Ohio's 32 Appalachian counties.

Thank you to the Monroe Arts Council, Swiss Valley Associates, Dover Tank and Plate, Grae-Con Construction, Ross County Commissioners, Buckeye Hills Regional Council, and Designing Local - your dedication and support helped make this transformation possible. We’re honored to have played a part in bringing this cherished landmark into its next chapter.

10/07/2026

Thank you, SMPS, for another outstanding Heartland Regional Conference!

Our Marketing Coordinator, Kristin, spent last week in Cincinnati with more than 300 A/E/C marketing and business development professionals from across the Midwest. She came home with fresh ideas, new connections, and practical strategies she's already bringing to our team.

We're grateful to SMPS for the high-quality education it provides to marketing professionals in our industry, and to the conference committee for putting together such a strong lineup of sessions and speakers.

09/22/2026

Keoni Fleming led our staff on a tour of the newly-renovated Campbell Hall at The Ohio State University. Schooley Caldwell and EVOKE Studio Architecture transformed Campbell into the new home of the College of Education and Human Ecology, featuring new teaching and research kitchens, new and upgraded classrooms, modernized offices, and new state-of-the-art research wet labs. The heart of the building is a double-height community space for both informal gatherings and formal events, and has full A/V presentation capabilities. Other key project elements included a relocated historic costume gallery, modernized high-density collections storage, conservation lab, and associated support space.

09/14/2026

Big news for downtown Columbus: Ohio State's Moritz College of Law is moving into the historic Huntington Building at 17 S. High St., with classes beginning fall 2029.

Schooley Caldwell is the architect for the renovation of the 194,000 SF high rise, which will bring 500 students and 100 faculty and staff to Broad and High. The renovation includes faculty offices, flexible classrooms, and four floors of law library and study space. The building's Art Deco banking hall, including founder P.W. Huntington's original office, becomes gathering and event space for the school, and long-bricked windows will be reopened.

Schooley Caldwell Principal, Melinda Shah, is currently working with Shepley Bulfinch, the team’s Law School programming consultant, to fit the college's program into this century-old landmark.

Downtown Columbus, Inc. President Amy Taylor called Melinda "a real scholar in historic renovation,” and said: “Everything we threw at her, she figured out.”

Read the article to learn more about this exciting project!

OSU and Columbus officials have announced what the university is moving to a historic building in the heart of downtown.

08/27/2026

Some footage of our work at the Ohio Village!

08/26/2026

The Schooley Caldwell team toured one of our soon-to-be-finished projects, the Ohio Village!

The Ohio Village was originally a replica of a Civil War-era town, intended to move forward in time as decades passed. The village is currently receiving its updated makeover to the mid-1920s, with new landscaping, a new town center with a gazebo, and a new b**r garden. It will become both a place for events and a look at the old history of a time before smartphones and the internet. The Ohio Village was temporarily open to the public during the State Fair, giving people a glimpse of what is to come!

And of course, after the tour, we all enjoyed a nice happy hour at the Yellow Springs Brewery!

08/24/2026

The Bicentennial Barn in McCammon Creek Park has reached a big milestone!

Last week was the official ribbon-cutting for the barn! Operators for the Preservation Parks of Delaware County (PPDC), along with state and county officials, all came together to celebrate this exciting event. The Bicentennial Barn is one of 88 historic barns memorializing Ohio's bicentennial in 2003.

The barn was strategically relocated within the park and will now function as an event center. Our addition to the barn houses a catering kitchen for events, along with offices, restrooms, and storage. The barn will be available for event rental next year, and we are excited to see this historic place serve as a new feature of Delaware County parks.

08/18/2026

The Observation Tower at the Great Council State Park is coming along!

The Observation Tower is a new signature feature for the park and will neighbor the Interpretive Center, offering a sweeping view of the surrounding landscape and a visual understanding of the park's relationship to the Little Miami River. The design is guided by a deep respect for the site’s archaeological and historical significance, particularly its connection to the Shawnee people, whose ancestral homeland the park commemorates.

The tower will also be receiving two adjacent facilities: a public restroom and a maintenance building, to support the growing needs of park visitors and staff. Please keep an ear out for the continued progress of this symbolic landmark.