Engine House No. 12

Engine House No. 12 is a historic former fire station in the Olde Towne East neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. Constructed in 1896 as a Columbus Fire Department station, the red-brick building on a stone foundation has two stories and approximately 6,000 square feet. It is a contributing property to the Columbus Near East Side District, a national historic district established in 1978. The building is one of about twelve fire stations built or reconstructed in Columbus during the 1880s and 1890s, of which seven remain. After the fire department vacated the space, the building served as the Arts and Crafts Center of the Columbus Recreation Department from 1952 to 1978. It then lay vacant or under renovation for years while various proposals were considered. In 1988 it reopened as the Columbus Music Hall, an event venue and concert space that hosted jazz musicians for two decades. The music hall closed in 2008, and the building was vacant again until a renovation around 2017. Today the building primarily houses Gemüt Biergarten, a German restaurant, brewery, and biergarten that opened on August 23, 2019. The restaurant occupies a 3,300-square-foot space including an indoor dining room, beer garden, brewery space, and front and back patios. The dining room features large wooden communal tables and stained glass windows designed by a London-based artist and created by a Columbus glass studio, reflecting the stories of the restaurant's house-brewed beers. The second story is used for offices. Gemüt Biergarten was positively reviewed by the Columbus Dispatch in 2019, which praised the food as "impressive," its house-brewed beers, and the "1890s-vintage, refurbished firehouse" with a "convivial beer garden."

Engine House No. 12 was built from 1896 to 1897, replacing a prior building, the Oak Street Engine House, which housed Chemical Engine Company No. 1. The station was nearly completed in February 1897, including its furniture. At the time, a city ordinance required the station to be staffed by people of color, allegedly created to increase minority support for the government. However, the fire chief decided to move the station's existing crew and their chemical engine to a new chemical engine station on West Broad Street, because the equipment needed to be moved and the existing crew was trained and experienced with the machinery. Therefore, in March 1897, the fire department issued a statement that the new station would be staffed by white men. The old fire station was cleared away by April of that year. The engine house initially operated with horse-drawn fire engines. After the Columbus Fire Department vacated the space, it fell vacant for a long period. In 1952, it became the Arts and Crafts Center of the Columbus Recreation Department. On September 29 of that year, it held its first classes for the community arts and crafts programs. The arts center moved to the new Cultural Arts Center in Downtown Columbus in 1978. In 1980, an architect and restaurateurs attempted to purchase the building and renovate it to house "Fat Tuesday," a New Orleans or Bourbon Street-style French bistro. In 1985, developer John Ogden purchased the building. Ogden initially planned to convert the building to house a restaurant and other businesses. He received opposition from the Olde Towne East Association and Near East Area Commission, which viewed a lack of parking to support a restaurant on-site. Ogden's plans were then turned down by the Columbus Development Commission. In 1986, Ogden reached a compromise with the community groups, with an agreement not to create a restaurant, and instead have office or retail space on the first floor and apartments on the second. Ogden eventually decided on making the building an event venue, cultural workshop space, and concert space. In 1987, John and Becky Ogden renovated the building into the Columbus Music Hall, which hosted jazz musicians for two decades. Livingston Taylor hosted the opening performance on October 9, 1988. Visitors to the music hall over its history included Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Tom Russell, Jefferson Airplane guitarist-turned-bluesman Jorma Kaukonen, the Woody Herman Orchestra, and the group Dry Branch Fire Squad. It closed in 2008, with a "Farewell to the Firehouse" concert taking place on April 30 that year and a final performance on May 2, 2008. The owner had run out of funds, and cited a lack of substantial income from performances, the building's lack of a full-size kitchen, and its lack of ADA-compliant features barring it from receiving grants. The building then became vacant again until its purchase by developers in 2017. The development company performed another renovation, including modernizing the space and making repairs to the building's original wooden firehouse doors. A restaurant, Gemüt Biergarten, opened in the building on August 23, 2019. Gemüt Biergarten was positively reviewed by the Columbus Dispatch that year. It praised the food as "impressive," its house-brewed beers, and the "1890s-vintage, refurbished firehouse" with a "convivial beer garden." Though the reviewer had qualms with the counter ordering style and simple food trays, they admitted that in a full-service restaurant, dishes would be smaller and more expensive.

• 2019

  Gemüt Biergarten opens in the building on August 23.

• 2017

  Developers purchase the building and perform another renovation.

• 2008

  Columbus Music Hall closes; "Farewell to the Firehouse" concert on April 30 and final performance on May 2.

• 1988

  Columbus Music Hall opens with a performance by Livingston Taylor on October 9.

• 1987

  John and Becky Ogden renovate the building into the Columbus Music Hall.

• 1986

  Ogden reaches a compromise with community groups regarding use of the building.

• 1985

  Developer John Ogden purchases the building.

• 1980

  An architect and restaurateurs attempt to purchase the building for a bistro called "Fat Tuesday."

• 1978

  Arts center moves to the new Cultural Arts Center in Downtown Columbus.

• 1952

  Building becomes the Arts and Crafts Center of the Columbus Recreation Department; first classes held September 29.

• 1897

  Station nearly completed in February; in March the fire department states it will be staffed by white men; old fire station cleared by April.

• 1896

  Construction of Engine House No. 12 begins, replacing the Oak Street Engine House.

A historic 1890s firehouse repurposed as a German restaurant, brewery, and biergarten in Columbus's Olde Towne East neighborhood.

• Gemüt Biergarten German restaurant and brewery

  A German restaurant, brewery, and biergarten occupying a 3,300 sq ft space with indoor dining room, beer garden, brewery space, and front and back patios.

• House-brewed beers

  Beers brewed on-site, reflected in the stained glass window designs.

• Event and concert space

  The building has historically served as an event venue and concert space, notably as the Columbus Music Hall from 1988 to 2008.

1. 1Engine House No. 12 - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Engine House No. 12 (Columbus, Ohio) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org