MANSFIELD, Ohio — Blight, sadly, has become a common sight in and around the downtown Mansfield area. One day, Mansfield resident Ignacio Gayton decided to change that — on his own.
He started on his home on West Fourth Street across from Mansfield Senior High School. His colorful patio, brick chiminea and immaculate stone barbecue space sits about 30 feet away from the busy street.
Gayton said the patio took two winters to complete and about $6,000. He set up a tent and worked in his spare time as cars passed by, slowly to see what was happening. He said some yelled out of their cars, wondering loudly what he was doing.
Why? Why there, in the middle of a stereotypically “rough” neighborhood?
“It was rough being here at first, especially with the patio. a couple break-ins and trucks stolen. But now I have three cameras to see everything. It’s better now,” he said.
“I’m from Mexico. I always wanted to build something that reminded me of my hometown. So I figured I’d build something like it so I can go outside and relax,” said Gayton.
Gayton never intended on moving to the states–until he came for a visit back in 1995 to visit his brother.
Since 1979, his brother told him of the opportunities in the states. In Chihuahua, Mexico, Gayton owned a furniture business; he married in 1981 and started a family. He was content.
Finally, however, his brother convinced him to visit for one month. Ignacio could stay at his home in Mansfield.
He made the trek from Chihuahua to Mansfield in 1995 to visit his brother Adrian, who owns Fork and Fingers in downtown Mansfield.
“I lasted for about two weeks and then said, ‘You know what, I got to go back,’ said Gayton. The language barrier was too high, he had no friends and his brother worked everyday at the restaurant — he was bored, he explained.
When his brother found out Ignacio planned on shortening his one month stay, he found him a job that had him pouring concrete.
“I liked it, so I decided to stay,” said Ignacio, chuckling. Just like that.
“I started working concrete. But then I realized that everybody that comes to the United States, they come looking for a job. And I decided to, instead of look for a job, I decided to open my own business and hire others,” said Ignacio.
Four years later, he started I.G. Construction. Although he specializes in concrete, he works as a general contractor on commercial and private properties. He built two Taco Bells in the area.
Before that, however, he needed to convince his wife and daughters to move here.
It didn’t take too much convincing. Six months after Gayton left Chihuahua, his wife and three daughters moved to the states. They rented an apartment for a year, then bought their own home in Madison.
When he found out how inexpensive it was to buy homes in the Mansfield area, Gayton bought more. In his spare time he fixed them up.
“I own about six or seven (homes) right now. I’m fixing all I own. It’s what I like to do,” said Gayton.
Unlike many who have decided to buy homes, fix them up and sell them for a profit, however, Gayton is doing it for a seemingly noble cause: to give to his three daughters and four grandchildren.
And if more grandchildren are on the horizon?
“Then I’ll get more houses,” said Gayton.
He also hopes that his actions to make homes more aesthetically pleasing will encourage others to do the same. It’s his way of combatting Mansfield’s blight. But there are limitations to what he can do, he said.
“I own those two houses,” said Gayton as he vaguely pointed to two vacant, half-finished homes that sit next to his property on West Fourth Street.
“Sometimes I run into problems, they don’t let me do it,” said Gayton, referring to Mansfield’s Bureau of Building and Codes.
Gayton just wants to make his surroundings look nicer.
“They shut me down. I don’t know why. All I’m trying to do is to make the place look better,” he said. “I hope they get easier on the regulations. If people want to fix their houses, they have to hire somebody with a license. Well … not everybody has a license in Mansfield.”
While he waits for the go-ahead to fix up other vacant houses like the ones next to his home on West Fourth Street, he intends on having get-togethers on the patio.
“We usually get a gathering every Sunday, all the family gets together out on the patio. A lot of people stop by,” said Gayton. Like the DJ who stopped by one afternoon and asked if he could join in on the Sunday get-togethers.
“I said, ‘I don’t want to pay anybody for that,’ but he said, ‘Don’t worry about it, I’ll come over and play for free,’” said Gayton with a laugh.
Gayton said he enjoys living in Mansfield.
“I like Mansfield. I think we made a home in Mansfield. I still have my home in Mexico, but …” he said as he trailed off.
He continued, “I think in Mansfield you got a bad reputation. I don’t think it’s that bad, really. It’s bad if you get into bad stuff. But if you keep to yourself and work hard, I mean there’s opportunity like everywhere else.”
