The Building Blocks Campaign
WHY US? WHY NOW?
NECIC has been preparing for this moment for 16 years. NECIC's five-year plan calls for an innovative new facility to house the work of the organization and enhance the growth opportunities for the future of the neighborhood.
The closure of the Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center in 2020 left a tangible void in the community as a long-standing hub of programming and resources. Educational, social service, and recreational programming was phased out slowly and not replaced.
Then in 2021, tragedy struck when a shooting occurred less than 100 feet from a class being held at our Blust Avenue Teaching Garden. Rather than distance ourselves from this violence, NECIC decided to expand our presence in the neighborhood and purchased the property across the street from the site of the shooting. This property at 486 Springmill Street will become the location of our new home.
The Community Impact Center will serve as a central access point to employment, healthcare, mental health services, arts, education, small business development and recreation for members of the Mansfield/Richland County community at all ages. While the CIC will bring vital services back into the North End, any member of the Mansfield/Richland County community can access the building, utilize its services, enjoy arts and entertainment, use vocational classrooms, recreational facilities, and rooftop gardens to name a few. The site of the Community Impact Center at 486 Springmill St. is a gateway along the state routes 30, 13 and 39 corridors making this a unique opportunity to invest in a transformative economic driver for the North End and our entire region.
134 N. Main St., Mansfield, Ohio 44902