MANSFIELD — A planned redeveloped hotel in downtown Mansfield stems from a partnership born in a daycare.
“Our kids are the same age. They went to the same daycare,” Snehal Patel said Tuesday night of his relationship with Mansfield businessman Jay Goyal.
“I (am in) in the hospitality business. I saw this property and then I read in the news that it was downgraded from a Holiday Inn,” said Patel, who owns La Quinta Inn & Suites in Mansfield.
Patel came to Mansfield from Pennsylvania in 2021 when he purchased La Quinta at 120 Stander Ave.
“I saw potential that it’s in the middle of downtown. I was in contact with Jay and we discussed that this would be a good project for the community,” he said.
Thus was born the planned redevelopment of the hotel at 116 Park Ave. West into a new boutique hotel with the working name, The Hearth & Forge Hotel.
Mansfield City Council unanimously gave its stamp of approval to the project on Tuesday evening by passing legislation that grants the proposal a 12-year, 75-percent property tax abatement with about $10 million in local, private investment.
more coverage of the proposed redeveloped downtown mansfield hotel
“We are very, very thankful … very appreciative … for the support from City Council, which represents the community,” said Goyal, president of Goyal Industries in Mansfield.
He told lawmakers renovations could begin in August or September with a grand opening in May or June of 2027.
Goyal says existing building is structurally sound
Goyal, a Lexington High School graduate who earned an engineering degree from Northwestern University, said the building is structurally sound.
“We don’t see … any structural issues with it. There are those front stucco panels that are falling off the building. It’s been quite a bit of time since those have fallen. That’s been kind of disappointing,” he said.
“Inside, it has certain issues. One of the floors is totally gutted. The pool is closed. The restaurant’s closed. The bar is closed. The banquet center is closed. The second floor is closed.
“So there is quite a bit of it that is closed. It’s also dated. It has not been renovated in quite some time. As part of our plan, we essentially plan on touching every surface, both internally and externally,” Goyal said.
When the hotel opened in 1984 with a price tag of $7 million, it had 160 rooms. That will be reduced to 102 in the new operation.
“Most of that reduction will happen through converting some of the single rooms into suites,” Goyal said. “Almost all of the rooms have adjoining doors and so it’s relatively easy. In fact, many have already been converted to suites from single rooms. So we’ll just continue that process.”
Plans include the reopening of the banquet and event center, along with upgrades to guest rooms, conference spaces, pool area, bar and restaurant, positioning the hotel as a high-quality destination in downtown Mansfield.
Initial design and pre-construction work are already underway, Goyal said last week.
“This is a rare opportunity to take an underutilized asset and reposition it in a way that meets the needs of today’s market while still serving the local community,” Patel said.
“We’re approaching this with a long-term mindset – focused on quality, execution, and creating something that the community can take pride in,” he added.
Goyal said the development team is working in close collaboration with The Renaissance Theatre, with plans to create a complementary relationship between the hotel and the Renaissance for its programming and events.
According to legislation tied to the development plan, the project will create 18 construction jobs and 16 full-time jobs within five years of its completion.
Project will contribute to ‘growing downtown momentum’
The project is in keeping with other downtown momentum projects, including the Main Street Corridor Improvement Project, and the Richland County Foundation to create downtown living spaces in buildings donated by John and Mimi Fernyak.
“I have been interested in downtown revitalization and how I might be able to play a role in it,” Goyal said last week.
“My business partner approached me about this deal and I just thought it would be a great opportunity to contribute to the growing momentum we have downtown,” he said.
“I don’t think the need for what we’re doing would have been any less 10 years ago. But I do think that all of these things happening at the same time will just build on one another and reinforce one another and hopefully contribute to the success of one another,” Goyal added.
The project is backed by a broad coalition of local investors, including Mark and Beth DeLaney; David and Leslie Eichinger; the Gorman Family; Rich and Gayle Gorman Green; Chuck Hahn; John and Maura Siegenthaler; and Rick and Carol Taylor, reflecting strong community support and alignment around the vision for downtown revitalization.
“This is a great project for the community. I am so excited to be a part of it and very thankful for the team,” Goyal said.
“(The investors are) all people who care about downtown Mansfield. I feel very comfortable saying that all of them are investing not because they’re looking to make money, not because they’re trying to maximize any sort of financial return, but they all care about downtown Mansfield,” Goyal said.
“They all see how important this hotel can be to the revitalization of Mansfield and they all want to do their part to help support the project.”
City Council members take turns praising project
Every member of council praised Goyal, a former state lawmaker who left politics more than a decade ago to return home and help operate the family manufacturing business.
At-large Councilwoman Shari Robertson said she has been in Mansfield her entire life and remembered when Richland Carrousel Park began to transform the downtown in 1991.
“That really started to change downtown. And now you see what’s going on … we’ve cleaned up a lot of vacant houses around town. We refocused with Mansfield Rising. And then you start seeing our local people (get more involved). That gives me a lot of joy. So thank you,” Robertson said.
Third Ward Councilwoman Crystal Davis Weese credited Goyal for improving his hometown.
“One of the things that I definitely like to see is when we have someone like you who has been a phenomenal superstar, done stuff in the Statehouse, and then continuously bringing things back that bring value to the city, we appreciate that and your team all the way around,” she said.
Sixth Ward Councilwoman Deborah Mount thanked Goyal’s group for saving a deteriorating building.
“So often the buildings around here get to that point they have to be torn down, which is a huge expense, and then there’s an empty space where there had been something worthwhile. So I’m so happy to see somebody saving a building when it was just barely in the nick of time,” Mount said.
Councilman Aurelio Diaz, who represents the 5th Ward, said everyone is excited about the project.
“That’s been an area that has had a lot of like question marks above it and with everything happening with the expansion downtown, I just applaud you guys for really investing in that entire structure. I remember when it was in its heyday (and) I think you’re going to elevate it,” Diaz said.
Second Ward Councilwoman Cheryl Meier said she fully supports the project.
“I trust that your group is going to make it even better than what it was before. So thank you for taking the time and the energy and investing in our city. We appreciate it,” Meier said.
First Ward Councilman Michael Miranda said he appreciated what the local group has pulled together.
“Downtown Mansfield does not have a a good hotel solution. That’s quite the building, so I’m very pleased and excited of what the energy you’re gonna bring and bring back to Mansfield,” he said.
Mayor Jodie Perry said city officials had been speaking with Goyal, Patel and their group for “quite some time.”
“This is a good example of a positive project that they have been working on. I know that Jay has really put a lot of work into getting local investors behind the project,” she said.
“This is something that our community has needed — a downtown hotel that is in good shape and that people want to stay at,” Perry said.
“I think we’ve got some really good momentum now with a lot of the projects that are currently in the works. So thanks again for you both stepping up and all of your investors,” the mayor said.
