MANSFIELD, Ohio — Park National Bank announced it is permanently closing its downtown Mansfield office on Sept. 15 after structural damage was discovered in the building.
In May, bank officials discovered new damage in the primary entryway near active construction on North Main Street. The crack travels between the sidewalk and the marble, reaching the carved stone, and appears to be about 4 feet in length.
Officials temporarily closed the building and hired structural engineers to assess the damage. Engineers estimated a minimum 90-day repair on the building. However, Park National Bank Regional President Chris Hiner stated the 90-day timetable will not be met.
The building is also home to United Way Mansfield, the NAACP and law offices. Those tenants' leases will also be terminated on Sept. 15. They will not have to pay rent for the remainder of their leases.
Iesha Darby, a Mansfield resident, said the closure was the right call.
"It's a good thing that they closed it down, because we wouldn’t want the damages to get worse and people in the building get harmed,” Darby said.
Chris Leighter has been a member at Park National Bank for three decades.
"It's kind of a shame that it's closing," Leighter said.
Leighter said the downtown location had its advantages.
"It's neat because I knew a lot [of people] liked having a bank they could walk to downtown," Leighter said.
In a statement, Park National Bank said it is now renovating and expanding services at its nearby Mansfield Marion Avenue Drive-Thru Center.
Leighter also acknowledged the trade-offs of the downtown location.
"It won't be too bad, plus parking down here can be kind of challenging at times," Leighter said.
The bank sits in the heart of the downtown construction, which is part of the Main Street Corridor Project — a $20.3 million plan to improve downtown Mansfield. Construction started about a year and a half ago and is expected to be completed this October.
In May, Mansfield City Councilman Aurelio Diaz said the city is working to determine whether the nearby construction and the crack are connected.
"I've heard from a lot of sources that there was a crack in the building all along, maybe not as big as it is now—a question of if it's gotten worse due to all the pounding and all the work going around it," Diaz said.
Future plans for the building have not been determined. Park National Bank said its priority is to fully remediate any structural damage.
Here is the full statement from Park National Bank below:
“Our commitment to community banking is as steadfast today as it has been for more than 100 years. While that commitment will not change, we recognize that how customers choose to bank continues to evolve. To best serve our customers and communities, we regularly review how and where we provide banking services.
After a thoughtful review, we have made the decision to close the Mansfield Downtown Office located at 3 N. Main Street. The closure is effective September 15, 2026; however, the office is expected not to reopen in the interim due to ongoing structural review of the building. To ensure our Mansfield customers continue to have convenient in-person banking options, we are simultaneously announcing the renovation and expansion of services at our nearby Mansfield Marion Avenue Drive-Thru Center, less than a mile away. Once interior enhancements are complete (estimated September 2026) the office will feature a full-service lobby, open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Over the past several years, solutions such as virtual appointments, digital personal bankers, mobile check deposit and expanded customer care support have provided greater flexibility and convenience. At the same time, many customers rely on other nearby offices for in-person banking needs. With these options readily available and a lengthy structural review and remediation process now underway on our building, we have carefully evaluated how best to continue serving the Mansfield community.
We’re here for you
We are confident in our ability to continue providing excellent service through our nearby full-service offices, digital banking services and customer care support. Many of the same Park team members you know will continue serving customers at other Mansfield locations, and our teams are ready to assist you every step of the way.
Nearby offices | There are two locations you may find convenient and our teams are ready to serve you. Mansfield Marion Avenue Drive-Thru Center, 50 Marion Avenue, 419-524-3310 and Mansfield Madison Office, 797 Ashland Road, 419-589-6321.
In addition to taking care of your personal banking at the Mansfield Downtown Office, you may have visited banking specialists in our home lending, commercial and wealth management teams at this location. Let me assure you, these bankers are still local, still available and still committed to meeting you where you are. We will share plans soon for a future office that will permanently house our full banking team and offer additional convenience.
We value our relationship with you and sincerely thank you for choosing Park National Bank. If you have questions or would like assistance finding solutions for your banking needs, our team is here to help. We look forward to continuing to partner with you on your financial journey.
Respectfully,
Chris Hiner Regional President”
