The Columbus City Council approved $500,000 for Zora’s House to help build a $4.5 million coworking center in Weinland Park for women of color to help them start businesses.Â
“Women of color are the fastest-growing population in Franklin County,” LC Johnson, founder and CEO of Zora’s House, said before the City Council approved the funding on Monday. Â
The building will include a coworking space on the first floor, bedrooms for a residency program on the second floor and subsidized office space on the third floor. Â
The Columbus Foundation and the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing have each contributed $250,000 to the project. Johnson said other funders include JP Morgan Chase, Victoria’s Secret and Alliance Data Systems, now Bread Financial. Â
Construction should begin in October and be finished by fall 2023.Â