MANSFIELD — A current eyesore could become a parking lot near downtown Mansfield’s restaurant scene.
But 120 N. Diamond St. is a bit of a fixer upper.
The Richland County Land Bank voted Monday to award Jeremy Huff Excavation an $800,000 demolition contract for the site.
The company will be responsible for demolishing and crushing two underground caverns, including one the Ohio Department of Development described as “caved in” and “an extreme hazard.”
The company will also be filling the site in so it’s level with the surrounding streets and building a retaining wall on the west side of the property (along Franklin Street) and the north side of the property line, according to the project’s bid specifications.
The work will be paid for using $700,000 in funding from the Ohio Department of Development’s Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program.
The funds were approved specifically for the project in August 2024.
The remaining cost will be paid for by Carrousel Properties LLC, the owner of 120 N. Diamond St.
Carl Fernyak of Carrousel Properties said the site will be converted into a 36-spot parking lot to support downtown businesses after the demolition.
Land Bank selected second lowest bid for demolition
The Land Bank received four bids for the North Diamond Street demolition. Mansfield-based Jeremy Huff Excavation submitted the second lowest of the bunch.
The lowest bid of $751,500 was submitted by Scout Construction, another local company.
Land Bank Executive Director Amy Hamrick noted the company hadn’t worked with the land bank before and was known mostly for its residential projects. She noted its website did not include any information about work on retaining walls.
“He comes highly recommended, but none of the references that we reached out to said anything about this type of scope of work,” Hamrick said.
Land Bank officials said their policy is typically to award contractors they haven’t worked with smaller projects before entrusting them with larger projects.
They also noted Scout Construction may be crunched for time due to a small crew and ongoing project remodeling at the future Wayfinders facility at 661 Park Ave. East.
Hamrick said the deadline for the Land Bank to complete the project is the end of December, although she recently requested an extension from the Ohio Department of Development.
Meanwhile, Hamrick said the Land Bank has worked with Huff in the past and that the company does have prior experience with bridges and retaining walls.
According to board member Tony Vero, the Land Bank is not legally required to accept the lowest bid. However, the land bank’s policy is to accept the lowest and most responsible bidder.
Other bidders included Powell-based Windsor Construction Services with a $810,955.88 bid and Cleveland-based C&J Construction with a $997,000 bid.
Why the Land Bank occasionally partners with property owners to seek state redevelopment grants
Hamrick said the land bank occasionally partners with local property owners to pursue state grant funding for revitalization, but only if the owner was not the one responsible for the property falling into disrepair.
Hamrick said representatives from Carrousel Properties were not aware of the caverns when they took ownership of the property.
“We entered into an agreement with (Carrousel Properties) to apply for the grant, much like what we’re going to do with West Park (Shopping Center),” Hamrick said.
Land Bank members also voted Monday to apply for a brownfield remediation grant to demolish the West Park Shopping Center — contingent on Mansfield City Council approving the necessary funding and a new owner purchasing the property.
City Council is set to vote on the funding Tuesday night.
The former West Park Shopping Center is currently owned by Namdar Realty Group, but is up for sale.
Also on Monday, the board:
- Awarded a demolition contract for 24 Oak St. to Crestline-based R&D Excavating for $13,530.
- Voted to approve a contract with Mannik and Smith for $9,700 for a Phase I environmental site and asbestos analysis for an old grain silo on Main Street in Shelby. The site could be eligible for brownfield remediation funds from the Ohio Department of Development if a Phase I analysis is completed. The property is in the midst of foreclosure.