This GA city has one of the ugliest buildings in the US, new ranking shows. Here’s where & why

Caption

The Columbus government center.

Credit: Tim Chitwood / Ledger-Enquirer

Columbus has received another dubious distinction by landing on a list for “100 Ugliest Public Buildings in the U.S.”

The Columbus Consolidated Government building is 79th on the list of “100 most unattractive public buildings across the country” as voted by 3,012 Americans.

The results, dominated by courthouses and buildings, are often colored by how residents feel about the function of the and upkeep of the space. The New Jersey Real Estate Network published the study and chalks it up to “brutalist and utilitarian styles” that informed the mid-to-late 20th aesthetics.

Columbus’ Government Center’s history

Columbus’s government and judicial center has always been at the Second Avenue location and started as a plain wooden building first built in 1828. It was upgraded in the Greek Revival style in 1838, and housed sick and wounded soldiers during the Civil War, according to the Historic Foundation of Columbus.

The Columbus Consolidated Government Center, as we know it today, is considered “new formalism,” and recalls the architecture style used, most notably, in the Lincoln Center in New York City. The building was heralded, at its inception, as a monumental multibuilding ensemble, meant to merge the city and county governments as the two consolidated in 1971.

The building is currently going through a $1.2 billion transformation, expected to last until 2027. It will henceforth be known as the Columbus Judicial Center, to be named after the late Superior Court Judge John D. Allen Sr.

Why 'ugly' matters

The Columbus government building, like many on the list, is “democratic” in its notoriety and not a tourist attraction or architectural darling, but a practical site folks encounter every week.

However, how people feel about their government buildings carry deeper political, cultural, and social significance beyond mere function. Buildings like government centers serve as symbols of community values, identity, and governmental transparency or openness.

According to Politics Today, research shows many Americans prefer traditional, classical architecture because these styles evoke a sense of history, stability, and justice.

In contrast, modernist or Brutalist government structures, like the current Columbus government center, can appear stark or harsh, and are often perceived as cold or sterile.

Which cities have the ugliest buildings?

Over 3,000 people were asked to weigh in on the debate over civic architecture.

Here are the results:

1. City of Flint Municipal Center - Flint Michigan
2. Fresno County Superior Court - Fresno, California
3. Buffalo City Court - Buffalo, New York
4. Jackson County Courts Building - Pascagoula, Mississipp
5. Philadelphia Municipal Services Building, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Do you agree with this survey? Was the old government center ugly? Email me at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on social media.

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.