#SXSW419 Team Plans for Downtown Mansfield
By Maura Teynor
July 6, 2018
(photo: #SXSW419 team members conducted interviews to gather input. Jotika Shetty, Richland County Regional Planning executive director, and Jay Allred, Richland Source president talked to a customer the Coney Island.)
The #SXSW419 group continues to work on creating a plan to spark and continue the revitalization in Mansfield’s Central Business District.
During a public forum in May at the Renaissance Theatre, the group of 15 participants gave an overview of what they learned during the South by Southwest Conference held in Austin, TX, in March. Following the update, they held targeted group sessions to gather feedback.
Working with the small group sessions was the first step in a month-long listening tour. The group is split into three teams to focus on different aspects of the city:
- Mansfield is a Place for Business
- Mansfield is a Place for Gathering
- Mansfield is a Place for Living
The teams listened to local citizens on what they want to see in their downtown by participating in public meetings as well as hitting the streets and interviewing people. The goal was to obtain as much input as possible to form a more inclusive plan.
“This is part of the community foundation’s plan. As the county seat, it is very important to ensure the growth and evolution of downtown Mansfield,” said Richland County Foundation President Brady Groves.
Richland Source President Jay Allred and Richland Area Chamber of Commerce President Jodie Perry approached the Foundation in 2017 with the idea to send a local group of people to SXSW to bring back the best ideas for our city. The Foundation agreed to use their idea of hiring our own consultants from within to develop a plan.
The core team is working with 28 advisors to create a plan for investment. It will be presented to the Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees in December.
