Mansfield Business Park gives verbal nod to donate old Westinghouse land – Mansfield News Journal
Mansfield Business Park, which owns the former Westinghouse property between East Fourth and Fifth streets, plans to donate the roughly 13-plus acres to the Richland County Land Bank.
The concrete pad area has been an eyesore for more than a decade.
Richland County Commissioner Tony Vero said Thursday, “This agreement confirms the owners’ intent to donate. We may not have full legal title by time the application is due. We need the letter of intent in order to apply.”
The new state budget includes $500 million to clean up brownfield sites and tear down old industrial and commercial buildings, along with residential structures. Each of Ohio’s 88 counties will receive $500,000 for demolitions and $1 million for brownfield remediation, Hamrick said.
Vero provided the donation agreement to the media Thursday in which he told representatives of the Mansfield Business Park, “… time is of the essence as 88 counties are rushing to submit for the recent demolition and brownfield monies. Thank you for partnering with us. We continue to reiterate how important this is to our community.”
“After 88 counties get $1.5 million, that leaves like $360 million for us to then go back and ask for,” Richland County Treasurer Bart Hamilton said earlier.
Mansfield Business Park acquired the property in July 1999.
Amy Hamrick, land bank manager, said a special meeting of the land bank is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday to enter into an agreement for the 13-plus acres including the concrete pad.
“They’ve agreed to it verbally and we’re waiting for a written agreement,” Hamrick said Thursday morning.
More:Richland County Land Bank accepts donations of Westinghouse ‘A’, Ocie Hill buildings
Earlier this month, the Richland County Land Bank voted to become owners of two buildings — the Westinghouse “A” building at 200 Fifth St. and the Ocie Hill building at 445 Bowman St.
The Ernie Coffman family, the owner of the property at 200 Fifth St., donated the building, Hamrick said. The “A” building is next to the former Westinghouse site.
Westinghouse Electric Products Co. began in Pittsburgh in 1886. The Mansfield plant opened in 1918 and underwent changes in ownership until the sprawling factory was closed in 1990.
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