MANSFIELD — The Richland County Regional Planning Commission (RCRPC) is celebrating its 60th anniversary by moving to a new office space.
The transportation and land use planning organization celebrated relocating its new location at 19 N. Main St. with an open house Wednesday.
“We are excited to be in our new home, and we hope to be a part of downtown’s revitalization,” said RCRPC executive director Jotika Shetty.
For approximately the past 45 years, the planning commission has operated out of the service center, located at 39 N. Park St. The building housed the RCRPC and Girl Scouts on the second floor and the American Red Cross and the United Way of Richland County on the first floor.
As of now, RCRPC and the Girl Scouts have moved out, and the American Red Cross has announced intentions to move, saying the building would soon be posted for sale.
“So we’ve grown in that space, and we’ve shrunk in that space,” Shetty said. “But in 2016, we put together a strategic plan, and out of that strategic plan there were a couple issues that came up in looking at how to get ready for the future.”
One item the plan addressed was how to give RCRPC staff “the professional space they need and the amenities they deserve,” according to Shetty.
Though smaller, the building at 19 N. Main St. provided this desired atmosphere.
“The service center has served us well, but we now have some younger and new staff, and work habits and work spaces have changed,” Shetty said.
With a staff of eight, she explained, the service center provided more space than needed. The Park Street location was 4,200 square feet, and the new location measures 3,200 square feet, which Shetty said is better designed for collaboration. The new space features several offices and two meeting spaces.
“I think what I love the most about this location is seeing the interactions among the staff that happen because of how the building is laid out,” Shetty said.
The search for a new location began in 2016, stemming from the organization’s strategic plan. Based on commission members and community input, the organization decided to stay in downtown Mansfield.
RCRPC officially moved into the new space in early January.
“Being here on the square, it’s just an exciting time,” Shetty said. “There are more businesses opening. There are big plans for the buildings around us.”
