MANSFIELD — Richland County commissioners on Thursday said they are considering a “substantial” contribution to a planned $8 million community center on the city’s north side.
The North End Community Improvement Collaborative unveiled plans Wednesday during the organization’s annual meeting for the center at 486 Springmill St.
There has been no such facility on the city’s north side since the Ocie Hill Community Center was closed in 2020.
NECIC purchased the Springmill Street property, formerly the Imani Activity and Events Center, last summer.
“We’re looking to create a space where people can experience a sense of belonging, where people can master skills, where people can learn things that gain independence and learn to be generous with the community,” NECIC founder and Executive Director Deanna West-Torrence said Wednesday.
Commissioner Tony Vero and county Administrator Andrew Keller are participants on an American Rescue Plan Act steering committee that includes county government, the City of Mansfield, various non-profit organizations and the Greater Ohio Policy Center.
Richland County has received $23.5 million in ARPA funding — half last year and the second half this year.
“I think there is an interest in this office. (Commissioners) haven’t talked about it yet formally, because we can’t. I think there is an interest of looking at a several million dollar commitment to that community center,” Vero said.
He said any contribution would be contingent on whether or not the project meets ARPA guidelines, which he believes at least parts of the project would.
He said it would also depend on NECIC, in conjunction with the City of Mansfield and other investors, to secure funding for the full project.
“Long way to go, because it would be a serious commitment, but I think there’s strong interest in this board and a willingness to contribute rescue plan act dollars for the project,” he said. “I’m hoping it can be substantial. I think it will be in the form of a matching contribution.
“Deanna is excellent at raising money. I think the city’s willing to partner with us. I don’t wanna speak for them, but I think they’re willing to come close to our commitment if I remember seeing correctly (Mayor Tim Theaker’s) presentation.
“We have a long way to go, but yes, there is interest in participating by way of rescue plan act dollars in that project,” he said.
Vero, who attended the NECIC meeting Wednesday, said West-Torrence was scheduled to make a presentation to the steering committee in April.
“They unveiled a beautiful new building and it will be excellent for the north end community. But I think Deanna needs to get some guidance from the group and also update the group on where they are in terms of raising money,” he said.
Under ARPA rules, all funds must be appropriated by the end of 2024 and all projects funded under the plan must be completed by the end of 2026.
“Those are important timelines,” Vero said, adding the deadlines made planning the center on the Bowman Street site of the Ocie Hill building more difficult.
The county Land Bank has acquired the Ocie Hill property and has applied for state funds to demolish it. But no funding decisions have been announced by the state.
“If you want to do do it on the same exact site, I’m not sure we can meet the appropriate timeline. You’re gonna have to get the building down. We still haven’t heard a word from the state. Then you have to get all that cleared out and build directly there.
“I don’t think that’s gonna be feasible, but it’ll be very close to where the old Ocie Hill site was,” he said.
Matthew Stanfield of FiELD 9 Architecture presented blueprints and renderings for the project Wednesday night. The plans call for additions to the existing building on the north and west side.
The first floor of the center will include a community room and kitchen, art gallery, gymnasium, theater, three-lane lap pool and vocational classroom.
The second floor will feature educational classrooms, an eSports lab, podcast studio, recording studio, computer lab and two art studios.
The third floor will contain leasable space for businesses. The space will help generate income for the NECIC and provide a space for businesses in the community.
“Some of the things we’re thinking about for leasable space would be professional offices, a medical clinic, maybe a mental health clinic,” Stanfield said.
The facility will be close to 30,000 square feet.
West-Torrence said the facility will fill a void left by the closure of various neighborhood schools and the Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center.
“You can tell the well-being of a community by the well-being of its children,” West-Torrence said.
“This is a place for them to have fun, to learn, to work, to share, to get healthy. It’s a place that we hope will restore community services that have been lost.”
(Richland Source reporter Katie Ellington Serrao contributed to this report.)
