MANSFIELD — One of Grant Milliron‘s longtime goals was to support housing for veterans.
The charitable organization that carries his name is now doing just that, two years after his death at age 88.
The Milliron Foundation purchased the former Century Link building at 665 Lexington Ave. last week, planning to convert it into an apartment complex for veterans and senior citizens.
The three-story building is approximately 120,000 square feet and sits on a 10-acre parcel next to the YMCA. Built in 1969, it was appraised at $2,596,090, according to the Richland County Auditor’s Office website.
“I think (Grant) would be very excited about it. He liked big projects, and this is a huge one,” said Karl Milliron, Grant’s son and a member of the foundation’s board of trustees.
The late Milliron never served in the military, but Karl Milliron said his father had tremendous respect for the country and those who protected it.
“He was a true patriot,” he added. “He never did serve and he did say on many occasions that’s the only regret in his life.”
Design plans have yet to be finalized, but Milliron said the new complex will likely include between 65 and 75 housing units on the top two floors of the building.
The first floor will likely house community spaces.
Milliron Foundation Director Brady Groves said the organization is considering options like home theater, gym, veterans service center and health clinic for residents.
Another possibility is to create a mixed use development with small businesses like barbershops, hair salons or restaurants on the first floor.
Groves said the location is ideal for housing due to the surrounding amenities, including the YMCA, Sterkel Park and a nearby bus stop.
A 2022 countywide housing study found there’s a shortage of quality, affordable housing in Mansfield and Richland County.
While there has been some development for middle income households and seniors, Groves said there hasn’t been much of an effort to construct veterans-specific housing.
“The closest veteran housing would be Cleveland and Columbus. So there’s really nothing right here,” Groves said. “If you look at the data and some of these housing reports, they are an underserved population across the country.”
Project will take three to four years to complete
Milliron said the project will likely take between three and four years to complete. The Foundation has engaged architect and design firm Garmann Miller and hopes to have a finalized design by the end of the year, he said.
After the design is finalized, Milliron said the foundation will need to begin the engineering process and seek permits from the City of Mansfield. The foundation will also need to submit a request to rezone the property, which is currently zoned commercial.
Once the building is complete, Milliron said the plan is to rent the units to senior citizens and veterans of any age with a sliding scale based on income and ability to pay.
Foundation officials haven’t yet decided if they will pursue affordable housing credits through the state.
“When you go for those, there’s a lot of restrictions and strings attached,” Milliron said. “We don’t necessarily know that we want all those regulations and strings attached to what we want to do.”
The building was constructed by the United Telephone Company in 1969. Ownership was passed on to various telecommunications companies since, including Sprint, CenturyLink and Brightspeed.
It’s been vacant for the last three years, but well-maintained by the previous owner, Milliron said.
“It’s a solid structure. The roof is great. We’ve got another 15 years left on the warranty on that, the masonry and all that is great,” he said.
Groves said the layout of the building lends itself well to a housing conversion.
“When United Telephone built it to get a variance from the Sterkel (family), they had to build it in such a way that it could be converted to a hospital, because that was the original intent of that property, to have a Catholic hospital here in Mansfield,” Groves said.
Milliron said his father established the Milliron Foundation in 1997, running it on his own until his death. He said his father created a board shortly before his death to ensure the foundation would continue working for the benefit of the community.
Today, the non-profit organization focuses on supporting housing, education and community-centered programs.
The project will be financed largely through the foundation, as well as grants, partnerships and charitable contributions. There won’t be large scale fundraising or a capital campaign.
“This project is about honoring our veterans and caring for our seniors,” Groves said. “665 Lexington Avenue will soon become more than just an address — it will be a home, a hub and a source of hope.”