MANSFIELD — A local engineer has estimated it will cost at least $200,000 just to stabilize and weatherize the the first home in Richland County built and owned by African-American residents.
And that work needs to be done soon — or the interior failure in the “Daisy Thomas House” will continue past the point of repair.
Based on that inspection and analysis, the Richland County Land Bank on Thursday issued what it called a “community call to action” if an individual or organization is interested in paying to save the structure at 89 Wood St.
“If it can be saved, (hopefully) someone can step up and say, ‘Hey, we found the funds. We’re willing to take this project on.’ I don’t believe it’s in our wheelhouse. I don’t think we have the manpower of the knowledge or anything to take on a project such as this,” Land Bank Manager Amy Hamrick said.
Without that rescue, the Land Bank will likely vote Sept. 7 to demolish the historic brick home at the corner of Wood and First streets, condemned earlier this year by the City of Mansfield Codes and Permits Department.
Land Bank Manager Amy Hamrick said Thursday that engineer Barry Neumann inspected the building on Aug. 5 and filed a report detailing the many interior failures inside the two-story home.
“He talked about how it probably would cost $200,000 to stabilize the house in his report. He talked about how you (would) have to start at the top and work your way down and stabilize the sections as you go,” Hamrick said.
“It needs to be done quickly. So I don’t know if there’s anyone out there in the community who would like to step forward and take this project on,” Hamrick said.
In his report, Neumann said most of the brick house is still in solid condition.
“It is unfortunate that there is no easy way to repair or support this ongoing collapse of this interior wall and fireplace/chimney system.
“As I see it, there is no way to repair this without starting from the top and removing the chimney, fireplace masonry and interior wall down to the basement.
“A manlift would be needed up on the roof and a hole cut in the roof to remove the attic masonry. Then the second and first floor masonry (would need to be) removed,” Neumann said.
“This whole area will need to be reframed with a wooden wall on a new support system in the basement. Likely, the east masonry wall will need repairs or rebuilt, depending on the degree of damage.
“It is hard to estimate the cost of these emergency repairs and who would be willing to do this work on an emergency basis,” Neumann said.
“The interior masonry wall failure is ongoing and very serious. If the structure is going to be saved, the work needs to be started soon. Otherwise, the failure and collapsing is going to progress through the east portion of the house,” he said.
Engineer report on 89 Wood St.
The Mansfield chapter of the NAACP has expressed an interest in preserving the structure, or in obtaining the property if the building is razed.
During a Land Bank meeting Aug. 3, board members discussed placing an Ohio historical marker on the site if the building comes down.
The parcel where the house stands was purchased in 1874 by ex-slave George Barker, who built the three-brick-thick walls in 1875.
It’s known as the “Daisy Thomas House,” named for the woman born in the house in 1877. She lived in the house until her death in 1973. The building had a couple of other owners, but has been boarded up for more than 25 years.
During the Aug. 3 meeting, Scott Schaut, curator of the Mansfield Memorial Museum, criticized Mansfield UMADAOP, which obtained the property from the Land Bank in October 2017.
The organization, which had done successful rehabilitation projects in the past through the Land Bank, planned to renovate it and turn it into a community center and African-American museum.
However, UMADAOP Executive Director Dennis Baker told Richland Source at the end of 2020 that the organization’s revenues had declined 50 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said planned renovations were on hold while UMADAOP prioritized needs of people with addictions.
“It’s UMADAOP’s fault this house is in the condition it is in,” Schaut said. “If they didn’t want to restore it or put money into it, they should have given it back in a year or two.”
Those interested in trying to save the building can contact the Land Bank at 419-774-5623.
