COLUMBUS, Ohio — It has been 50 years since the Rhodes State Office Tower, the tallest building in Columbus, opened its doors.
The construction of the 41-story, 1.2 million square feet building began in 1971 and wrapped up in 1974. It would eventually become the state office building, housing the offices of the Ohio Attorney General, the State Treasurer’s Office and boards and commissions.
State leaders decided in 1969 to consolidate state offices and departments into one building and give more space to the legislative offices in the statehouse. It originally was called the State Office Building, but was later renamed in 1979 in honor of Ohio’s longest-serving governor James A. Rhodes…