MANSFIELD — Two long-vacant properties at the Kingsgate Shopping Center may roar back to life.
Iron Pony Motorsports is interested in buying and rehabilitating 1290 and 1300 Park Ave. West, converting the spaces into a “regional supercenter dealership” for Iron Pony and the Pony Powersports Group.
Based on that interest, the Mansfield city planning commission took no action Tuesday on a Skilken Gold request to delay a demolition order on the 1300 Park Ave. West building by Dec. 4.
The commission met with Eric Elizondo, Skilken Gold’s senior vice president for operations, who said Iron Pony is actually interested in obtaining three units at the shopping center, including 1280 Park Ave. West, the home of the Volunteers of America thrift store.
The VOA store would remain in operation with Iron Pony becoming the landlord of the property.
The two vacant sites were once home to the Kingsgate Cinema and J.C. Penny, both sitting idle for two decades along one of the city’s busiest roadways.
The two buildings combine for 50,739 square feet of space, according to Elizondo, including 34,500 at 1290 and 16,239 at 1300.
Elizondo said Skilken Gold has worked on the project with Iron Pony officials for more than a year and a resolution to the negotiations is expected in the next 30 to 60 days.
He told commission members Skilken Gold would demolish the properties if a deal with Iron Pony is not consummated.
“I spoke with (Iron Pony Motorsports Group President) Chris Jones about this and they are very interested. It’s a really, I think, positive thing for the community and obviously for the center.
“Just recently, I’m sure you guys all know this, U-Haul was another tenant that moved into the center, into the old Holly Lobby, which is another good, positive thing for Kingsgate,” Elizondo said.
According to a Tuesday email from Jones to Richland County Commissioner Tony Vero, also a member of the county Land Bank, Iron Pony has been “actively looking” for a larger space in Mansfield for about two years.
The Westerville, Ohio-based company has a retail location at 327 Ashland Road that Jones said is not large enough to meet current and future needs.
According to its website, “Iron Pony Motorsports is your premiere superstore for all your powersports needs. With over four decades in the powersports industry, we are a locally owned, operated, and family-run business.”
The website says of its current local operation, “Our sister location in Mansfield is an authorized dealer for Benelli, Hisun, Honda, Kawasaki, Kayo, KTM, Polaris, SSR, Suzuki and offers the same quality selection and service.”
Vero, who spoke during the meeting, said he had been told Iron Pony would invest $2 million on a rehabilitation project that could take six to eight months.
“(The buildings are) in that bad of shape,” said Vero, who cautioned the commission not to grant the requested six-month demolition extension.
“I just think it’s time with Westinghouse and other locations in our community that we continue to move forward and quite frankly, continue to put the gas pedal on it.
“We certainly wanna be pro business and if this comes into fruition, absolutely. But I would just ask that the commission be mindful of a full six-month extension when there’s nearly two months on the current extension,” Vero said.
“(Skilken Gold says) they have the money for demolition. Great, if it comes to that. We hope that there could be a legitimate business interest. But there comes a time where you gotta get moving,” Vero said.
Elizondo said Skilken Gold is not trying to just delay the demolition. In an email to Vero on Monday, he said the company has put $50,000 in escrow for the demolition and that it has obtained bids for that work if it becomes necessary.
“This is a real thing. It’s serious. If there is something that changes, we will let you know immediately,” he said.
“I think we could come back in late November (if the commission requested) and really kind of see where we are,” Elizondo said.
The commission approved the continuance of the issue until Nov. 22 and requested Elizondo and an Iron Pony representative be present with their proposal, intent and expectations.
