MANSFIELD — Mansfield lawmakers are scheduled Tuesday to take the next step toward affordable housing for veterans and seniors in the former former Century Link building.
City Council is expected to vote on the rezoning of 10 acres at 665 Lexington Ave. to B-2 from its current office services status.
The city Planning Commission in July unanimously recommended the rezoning request for the three-story building made by the Milliron Foundation, which purchased the site for $1 million a year ago.
A required public hearing on the request is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:50 p.m. before council’s caucus begins at 7 p.m.
Karl Milliron attended the Planning Commission meeting in July with Milliron Foundation Director Brady Groves. Karl Milliron said it’s exactly the kind of project philanthropist and businessman Grant Milliron had in mind when he set up the foundation before his death at age 88 in 2023.
“This project checks off two buckets, the community impact and housing for veterans. Even though it’s not individual housing, it’s community living … individual, independent living.
“As we talked about it on our board, we just kept thinking about all the positives, the location … the size of the parking lot … all the ancillary entities around it,” Karl Milliron told the Planning Commission.
He pointed to the nearby YMCA of North Central Ohio, Richland Public Health and Sterkel Park.
“We’re right on the bus route and you’re a mile and a half from the (David F. Winder Mansfield VA Clinic),” Milliron said.
“We started just checking off all the boxes and it looked like a really great opportunity for us. As we pursued it, we actually went into the building to look at it. Once we got in, we could see how it was built and it is built perfectly to convert into (61 individual unit apartments),” Milliron said.
Those apartments would be on the upper two floors, with the lower floor designed for community spaces.
He said the lower level of the building would be used as an events center, but companion services would also be added, including a gym/fitness area, medical services, hair stylist and a theater.
“We just looked at this as a great project … something that I think Grant would be very proud of. Not only doing things for veterans but making a large community impact and also taking a large landmark structure and retaining it,” Milliron said.
A 2022 countywide housing study found there’s a shortage of quality, affordable housing in Mansfield and Richland County.
He said the exterior of the building would not be changed.
“We’re not going change anything on the outside. In fact, we’re going for some historical tax credits on this project, as well. So the integrity of maintaining the looks of the structure is going to be upheld as well,” Milliron said.
He said the exterior of the property, including the large lawn, would be maintained as is, also.
There are three committee meetings scheduled Tuesday — public affairs at 6:20 p.m., airport at 6:30 and streets and traffic at 6:40. Caucus is scheduled at 7 p.m. with the legislative session following immediately thereafter.
(Below is a PDF with legislation scheduled for Mansfield City Council on Tuesday evening.)
