A list of Neighborhood Stabilization Program, Round 3 funded demolitions in Mansfield has been finalized and will be razed by June or July. Several properties on the list are on the Ohio Historic Inventory. Of particular note are two properties on S. Main Street that sit above the huge retaining wall that was created when Main Street was leveled and the properties undercut.
The current owner recently offered these two properties together for $125,000 as a "great opportunity", the houses being "not worth much" but "location is ticket to value". Now five of his properties in a row are being demolished. These NSP3 demolitions are "voluntary demolitions" offered to owners in targeted areas. It will be interesting to see how much the owner will ask for this entire corner, once we've paid for demolitions.
194 S. Main is probably the oldest of the two. This Greek Revival style house predates 1853 when it appears on the city map of that date.
198 S. Main, of Second Empire style, likely dates from the 1860s or later. Note the balcony and doorway between the dormers is probably a later addition.
Unfortunately these, and the neighboring houses to the south, have been slumlorded into oblivion. Large, clumsy additions were added to the rear of both houses at some point in the past. Although the large retaining wall in front of the houses, and the impossibly steep driveways coming up off the busy street seemed to isolate these properties, they actually have a quite convenient access from the rear at the end a little street called Burnese.
NSP3 funds are being administered countywide, unlike previous rounds in which the city had its separate allocation.
