A former Franklinton school that sheltered neighborhood residents during the Great Flood of 1913 could be demolished under an application filed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus. The application for the vacant building at 57 S. Grubb St., near West Broad Street and State Route 315, was submitted to the city Sept. 21. The boarded-up property has no outstanding unsafe-building orders, according to Columbus’ Department of Building and Zoning Services, though it has received seven code-enforcement orders since 2001 involving issues including trash, weeds and securing the building. The Diocese can ask the Franklinton Area Commission to approve demolition sooner or wait through the required 60-day period. If it chooses the latter, the demolition permit could be issued after Nov. 20. The commission is scheduled to discuss the proposal at its Oct. 13 meeting at 777 W. State St.; a Diocese representative is expected to attend and answer questions. The building was completed in 1913 as Holy Family School. Despite a flooded basement, it served as a refuge for residents during that year’s historic flood. The Jubilee Museum occupied the site from 1998 to 2019; the institution, now called the Museum of Catholic Art and History, reopened in 2021 in the former original Wendy’s building on East Broad Street. Columbus Landmarks named the school one of the city’s most endangered buildings in 2020. CEO Chris Hune said the prospect of demolition was disappointing and pointed to former school buildings from a similar era that have been repurposed, including the Open Air School in Old North Columbus and Barrett Middle School in Merion Village. “Not knowing their intention with the property or if they have discussed a sale, it’s difficult to address,” Hune said, adding that the proposal seemed part of a recent pattern involving Diocese-owned buildings. The Diocese had not responded to questions about its plans for the property as of the initial report. The building’s fate will put the neighborhood’s interest in preserving a piece of its history alongside the property owner’s demolition request. The commission’s meeting offers residents a public forum to hear more about the proposal and raise questions.