MANSFIELD — The Richland County Land Bank, born in 2012, may soon have a remodeled home.
The quasi-public land reutilization corporation calls the lowest level of the Richland County Courthouse home in a space not largely different than when it was home to administrative offices for the sheriff’s department.
Richland County commissioners on Thursday are expected to approve the initial phase of a plan that will lead to remodeling of the entire bottom floor of the courthouse, including the Land Bank offices, as well as all restrooms in the building.
Commissioner Tony Vero, a Land Bank board member, discussed the plan on Wednesday during the organization’s first meeting of 2024.
It’s expected to start Thursday by approving “request for qualifications” seeking professional design services for the project. Submissions are expected by Feb. 8.
“We’ve begun the process to completely redo this entire floor, plus completely revamp and upgrade the Land Bank offices. As you can see, we always have people here.
“It is our goal for however long the current commissioners are there to completely redo this entire building. So whoever takes over after us will have a new, upgraded building,” Vero said.
Vero said afterward the entire project, including nine bathrooms, will cost around $1.6 million. He said American Rescue Plan Act funds will likely be used.
“We anticipated $2.1 million (to renovate “L2″) for the clerk of courts office. It came in under (cost expectations) so we believed we should go ahead and finish the building with the remaining, including redoing all of the bathrooms,” Vero said.
The entire floor remodel will create other spaces, as well.
“We’re looking at an employee (space). We have no place for people to take a lunch. We’re looking at lunch areas, maybe even a little exercise room.
“We’ve asked the architect to really look at this proactively. We will not borrow money for this. We’ve set aside the cash and are paying for it. The taxpayers are paying for it, not us,” Vero said.
Land Bank manager Amy Hamrick asked board members to offer input into what the new space should include.
“One thing I was going to talk to the board about at our (Jan. 19) board retreat was to start thinking about what you would like to see,” Hamrick.
“Do we want to remain (seated) at a table where people are behind you? Do you want something more like what the commissioners or City Council (have), where you can see the people. Think it over and give me some suggestions,” Hamrick said.
In other Land Bank board activity Wednesday:
— Hamrick told the board the Land Bank has now transferred 1,200 land parcels to end users since its inception in 2012.
— welcomed two new board members — new Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry and Madison Township Trustee Tom Craft.
— re-elected Richland County Treasurer Bart Hamilton as chairman of the board and Richland Bank Vice President Jeff Parton as vice chair.
— discussed ongoing projects, including the effort to clean up the former Westinghouse site on Mansfield’s east side. The effort, which began with demolition of the former “A” building in December 2022, has been slowed by the discovery of large underground concrete pits and water issues created by city water lines and also natural springs found in the area. Hamrick said the Land Bank has applied for additional state grant funds for the project, which will likely include new storm sewers from the site to move the water flow.
