COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center received a $50 million gift from the Robert F. Wolfe and Edgar T. Wolfe Foundation for the center's new hospital tower.
The inpatient tower will have two named spaces in recognition of the gift, the John F. Wolfe Lobby and the Wolfe Foundation Crossroads, pending approval by the university’s board of trustees.
John F. Wolfe was known as the publisher of the Columbus Dispatch who served as chair and CEO of the Dispatch Printing Company.
Gov. Mike Dewine worked alongside Wolf throughout their careers.
"Few people know, or will ever know, even half of the good works John F. Wolfe and Ann Wolfe put their shoulders behind to benefit Columbus and central Ohio. They preferred to be a quiet force for good with lasting impact,” DeWine said. “I think John F. Wolfe would be delighted about his family’s continued efforts to improve the quality of life in central Ohio, and health care is vital to quality of life.”
Wolf worked to aid the growth of OSU and its health care system through his work on various boards. The Wolfe family has helped multiple Columbus institutions, including COSI, the Franklin Park Conservatory, the Scioto Mile and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
“This is a special day for our university, our region and our state,” said The Ohio State University President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. “John F. Wolfe’s family and the Wolfe Foundation are building on his lifelong commitment to creating a bright future for the Columbus community. We are grateful for their remarkable investment in the inpatient tower and our medical center. It will enable us to continue serving Ohioans and providing expert care to patients and families that is at the forefront of medicine.”
The inpatient tower is set to open in 2026. It contains 1.9 million square feet, 24 floors, up to 820 private rooms and 51 neonatal intensive care beds.
It will have interdisciplinary focus to allow for collaborative teaching, research and clinical trials.
“Patients and families are at the center of everything we do at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, and our new inpatient tower will further ensure that we are able to provide the very best care for everyone, every time,” said Dr. John J. Warner, MD, CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and executive vice president at Ohio State. “Through this transformational gift honoring John F. Wolfe, the Wolfe family and the Wolfe Foundation remain steadfast in their commitment to improving people’s lives within our community. John F. Wolfe’s legacy as a community leader and philanthropist is still helping to shape the skyline of Columbus, and we are honored that our vision for the future of the Wexner Medical Center aligns with what he and others envisioned for the future of central Ohio and the entire state.”