MANSFIELD — The Richland County Land Bank board may meet next month with a developer interested in marketing the former Westinghouse properties in Mansfield.
Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry and Richland County Commissioner Tony Vero told fellow board members Thursday they have had recent conversations with a former local resident now living and working in New York about the prospects of a public-private partnership to develop the former industrial site.
Both declined to identify the person until a face-to-face meeting with the board could be arranged.
Perry said the person “has local roots, but is not local currently.”
“They have brought forward an idea of potentially either exploring a public-private partnership, which there’s been a little bit of discussion about, not just for this parcel, but for others … or if we weren’t ready to go that far yet, giving them some exclusivity to go out and see what they can get attached to the site,” Perry said.
Demolition of the former Westinghouse “A” building and adjoining 13-acre “concrete jungle” began in December of 2022 and the work is ongoing with a price tag approaching $5 million.
The Ohio Department of Development awarded the Land Bank a $3 million grant for the project and additional state funds are being sought.
“Right now, I’m just describing this to you in concept. So this is nothing we’re asking (the board) to vote on. In fact, we would want this developer to come to the next meeting, obvious
(Below are photos taken by R&D Excavating from Crestline, which is handling the demolition and cleanup of the former Westinghouse sites in Mansfield. The company posted the photos on its Facebook page Thursday with the note, “It’s nice to get a break from the rain.” The story continues below the gallery.)
She said the developer would seek companies willing to come, invest and build at the site and would perhaps like a 12-month period of exclusivity to do its work.
“Obviously the site for the next year probably isn’t going to be ready (for development), but I don’t know that there’s a lot to do with it in the meantime.
“They are willing to come into the next meeting, obviously in public. Before we went to that phase. I just kind of wanted to (gauge board interest). This is a little bit different for us. It’s obviously a much bigger parcel than we’ve dealt with, going in commercial. But they have some experience (also) in other parts. So we think it’s at least worth consideration,” Perry said.
Perry and Vero said the Land Bank would maintain ownership of the land until it’s sold to a new business. A potential agreement would just provide the marketing to take place through the developer in question.
“Both sides can get out at any time. No money changes hands. ‘But if we’re going to start investing our dollars in terms of payroll and our staff, we’re going to need some protection to say you’re not behind another door working with another developer,'” Vero said on behalf of the marketer.
“So they said, ‘Would you be willing to give us 12 months to see what we can do to come to you with?'” he said.
Land Bank manager Amy Hamrick said it’s not yet known if the site can be cleaned up to meet the environmental standards for residential development.
“We’re hoping to get it cleaned up to residential standards, but we don’t know that for a fact. Once that concrete’s up and we get Mannik & Smith back in there to do some more testing, we’re going to have a better idea what environmental standards it can be cleaned up to.
“We know it can be cleaned up to commercial. Are we putting the cart before the horse without knowing what standards and what can be built there?” Hamrick asked.
Vero said the potential developer is aware of the current environmental uncertainties.
“From their point of view, they’re at the very beginning, too. A lot of due diligence needs to happen. And that’s where potentially a partnership could come into effect,” Perry said.
Vero said the developer has had success while being involved in bigger-scale projects in some major cities.
Board members were receptive to meeting the developer.
“At the end of the day, whether it’s at the next board meeting or it’s a year and a half from now, we’re looking to try to figure out some type of agreement or partnership for a nice urban renewal project,” board Vice Chairman Jeff Parton said.
Vero said the work would be done in conjunction with the U.S. EPA’s assistance in conducting a market analysis to find viable plans for a mixed-use development project on the site.
The EPA announced in November it would work on the Westinghouse project at no cost to the local community.
According to the U.S. EPA website, the U.S. EPA Brownfields and Land Reutilization Technical Assistance program is “reusing cleaned up sites (that) protects public health and the environment by preventing sprawl, preserving green space and reinvigorating communities.”
Perry said the EPA has talked about how best to connect the former Westinghouse sites on the city’s east side to the downtown.
“Probably the EPA is taking the first step towards that. (A prospective developer) would go further on it.
