MANSFIELD — Local businessman and philanthropist Dan Niss is developing a plan for the former Hamilton Park on the city’s north side, according to the Richland County Land Bank.
The Land Bank board on Wednesday approved an agreement to hold the former park and four adjoining parcels for Niss, president of Charter Next Generation.
Niss and his wife, Brenda, own a controlling interest in the nearby Westbrook Country Club, a facility they are currently working to enlarge and renovate.
Earlier this year, they also purchased the nearby former Lumberman’s Insurance property. The plan is to build condominiums on the site and also create additional parking.
Land Bank manager Amy Hamrick said Niss will likely present a plan for the former city park to the board in the next few months.
Hamrick said “they are still working on that” when asked what Niss plans to do with the property, which encompasses more than 24 acres just north of U.S. 30 and west of Bowman Street.
“(Niss) is going to present a plan simply because he is the adjoining neighbor,” Hamrick said. “He is working on a plan that the board would have to approve before we transfer it to him.”
The land became available when it became apparent Harmony House officials, who had hoped to raise funds for a multi-million dollar new facility for the homeless on the site, could not move forward.
The Land Bank board voted last summer to hold the former park for Harmony House, giving it about 18 months to raise at least 50 percent of the required funding for the project’s first phase, about $1.5 million.
Harmony House Executive Director Kelly Blankenship said Wednesday it had become apparent the organization would not be able to raise the funds by the deadline for the new shelter, which would provide more than double their current 54-bed facility on West Third Street.
“We knew we weren’t going to be able to get community support for a project of that magnitude,” Blankenship said. “We wouldn’t be able to raise the money in time.
“Our board is looking at other options in terms of a location (for an expanded facility),” she said, indicating renovating an existing structure may work better than a new building.
“We are looking at all other alternatives,” she said. “We know we still need a larger facility and and we can’t make that happen where we are now.”
Hamrick said Niss, who also owns Niss Aviation that provides fixed-based services for Mansfield Lahm Airport, became interested when he learned the Harmony House board was withdrawing from its plan.
Land Bank board member Tony Vero, also a Richland County commissioner, said the plan by Niss is part of a “bigger picture” for development in that area.
“(Niss) will do some big things with the country club in conjunction with the condominiums that will come online,” Vero said.
“It would make sense for them from a business perspective to have adjacent land as part of bigger projects and growing the country club and the condominiums,” Vero said.
“So I think they’re kind of talking amongst themselves before they present (to the Land Bank board), because obviously this is a public meeting. So once they present, it’ll be out in public. I think they’re just working on ultimately what they want to do with the land,” Vero said.
He said Niss has made “a $25 million investment out there.”
“I think that would make sense that we give him an opportunity (at the former Hamilton Park),” Vero said.
Niss has been active in local philanthropic efforts. Most recently, Ashland University in January officially opened the Niss Athletic Center on its campus.
Dan and Brenda Niss were lead contributors to the effort to build the state-of-the-art, 125,000-square foot facility.
