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MANSFIELD — The new Wayfinders shelter is a bit behind schedule, but Miles Parsons can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The organization’s new facility at 661 Park Ave. East was slated to open by the end of October, but will now open closer to the end of 2026.
“We had a few minor delays related to asbestos abatement and damp proofing and are now on pace for late November/early December,” said Parsons, Wayfinder’s executive director.
The project is partially funded using American Rescue Plan Act dollars, which come with a project completion deadline of Dec. 31, 2026.
“The goal is to have the Certificate of Occupancy granted by Dec. 31 and start operating in that location shortly thereafter,” Parsons said.
The new shelter will allow Wayfinders to serve between 78 and 80 people per day. Its current space on Third Street has a maximum capacity of 58 clients.
Parsons said the need for emergency shelter is as apparent as ever. The shelter served a record 611 individuals in 2025.
“Shelter numbers are on the rise,” he said. “This year, we’re on pace to see 750, which would be an increase of nearly 23 percent from our highest year ever (2025).”
Parsons says $2.6 million facility wouldn’t be possible without community support
Wayfinders acquired the former medical offices building in Feb. 2025 from the Richland County Land Bank.
Mold mitigation started June 2025, a contractor was selected in July 2025 and the contractor began work following the selection. A total of eight contractors submitted bids; Scout Construction identified as the lowest and best bid, Parsons said.
Miles estimated the final cost of the project will be somewhere between $2.6 and $2.8 million.
Several area organizations and government entities contributed to the project.
Photos of ongoing construction provided by Miles Parsons, executive director of Wayfinders. Story continues below.
The City of Mansfield contributed $872,429 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars. The Richland County Commissioners contributed $500,000 to a forgivable loan through the county land bank. Wayfinders also received $250,000 from the state capital budget.
In addition, the project received philanthropic support from the Milliron Foundation, the Richland County Foundation and the Ashland County Community Foundation.
“I’ve said this a hundred times over, but without the support of the community, this project simply doesn’t happen,” Parsons said. “If we had tackled this solo, based on our average operating surpluses, it would have taken somewhere between 90-95 years to get it done.”
Parsons will depart the organization after the new shelter opens
The new facility will be almost three times as large at nearly 13,000 square feet. Parsons said the extra room will allow Wayfinders to offer classes in clients in life skills like cooking and budgeting.
“Currently, we just don’t have the space to offer this,” Parsons said.
While life skills courses will be new for Wayfinders, the organization has long focused on more than just providing shelter. One of the shelter’s three case managers meets with every client upon admission to talk about their goals and how to achieve them.
“For some, it’s housing. For others, it may be obtaining documentation. It may be employment and then back to live with a loved one or friend. As no two individuals are the same, neither are there goals,” Parsons said.
Case managers also try to stay in contact with clients for 30 days after they move out and provide assistance if needed.
“We rely heavily on community agencies to help us with this,” Parsons said.
The Wayfinders board is currently searching for the organization’s next executive director, but Parsons said he’s staying on staff until the new building is up and running.
“My plan is to finish this thing, get our clients moved over, maybe help for a month or two and look to exit stage left,” Parsons said.
“A new building is probably a good time for new leadership and a new vision. I feel that we’ve accomplished what we’ve set out to do and I feel good about the state of the agency for years to come.”
