Mansfield has transitioned from a heavy manufacturing center into a diversified economy anchored by healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and plastics production. MedCentral Health System serves as the city's largest employer, while manufacturers like Newman Technology, Ideal Electric Company, and Gorman-Rupp maintain the region's industrial heritage. The plastics sector has become particularly significant, with companies like Edge Plastics doubling their manufacturing capacity with support from the local economic development team.
The Mansfield Rising 2.0 initiative provides a roadmap for economic growth, placemaking, infrastructure investment, and community engagement. The Richland Area Chamber's recent recognition, including Excellence in Economic Development Marketing and a Tourism Award, reflects renewed momentum. The James W. Kehoe Center offers nationally recognized industrial training through its Advanced Manufacturing Tool and Die Center and RAMTEC facilities, providing a pipeline of skilled talent for employers. This combination of institutional investment and workforce development creates steady construction activity.
Whether you're expanding a healthcare facility, retrofitting a manufacturing plant, or developing commercial property in downtown Mansfield, projects in this market benefit from experienced oversight. An independent Owner's Representative ensures that the complexity of navigating a transitioning economy doesn't compromise your project's budget and schedule.
Every construction project involves three core parties: the Architect, focused on design and code compliance; the General Contractor, focused on means, methods, and their own profitability; and the Owner, who funds everything but often lacks the technical expertise to protect their investment. This creates what we call the Leadership Vacuum, a gap where no one is truly accountable for the owner's budget and schedule.
DeVore Consulting fills this vacuum. We work exclusively for you, never holding trade contracts or self-performing work. Our role is to translate your business objectives into construction outcomes, providing a single point of accountability from pre-design through project closeout.
We bring disciplined methodology to every Mansfield engagement.
We treat your construction budget with the same scrutiny as an operating budget. Every pay application is verified against work in place. Every change order is dissected to ensure you're paying only for legitimate scope changes.
We never build; we only manage. This means our advice is never influenced by a desire to self-perform work or protect a margin. When we flag a problem, it's because it affects your bottom line.
Projects in the $500K to $50M range are our specialty. These are often too complex for business owners to oversee part-time but may not attract the attention of national firms focused on larger metropolitan markets.
We support the full range of commercial construction activity in Richland County:
Supporting institutional growth with oversight for medical office construction, outpatient facilities, and specialty clinics that must meet healthcare regulatory standards.
Assisting plastics manufacturers, automotive suppliers, and industrial operators with facility expansions and equipment installations that must proceed without disrupting production.
Providing budget protection for downtown revitalization projects and new commercial development serving the regional economy.
Supporting projects for the region's educational institutions and training facilities that require public accountability and transparent oversight.
We also serve nearby communities including Ashland, Marion, and Mount Vernon.
The greatest value we provide comes from early engagement, before you've committed to a property or finalized designs. Our Fatal Flaw Analysis investigates infrastructure capacity, zoning constraints, and site conditions while there's still time to negotiate or walk away.
If your Mansfield project is already underway and facing challenges, we can help stabilize the situation through rigorous change order review and contractor accountability. But prevention is always more cost-effective than cure.
Schedule a consultation to ensure your Mansfield project starts on solid footing.
We provide comprehensive project oversight for business owners and developers who need expert guidance through the construction process. With 20+ years overseeing the design and construction of residential and commercial, we know where problems hide and how to prevent them.
These FAQs are a starting point, but your project has specific goals, risks, and financial stakes. My role is to be your trusted guide.I protect your time and money by simplifying the process, providing experienced oversight, and preventing costly mistakes before they happen.
The James W. Kehoe Center offers nationally recognized industrial training through its Advanced Manufacturing Tool and Die Center, RAMTEC, and Skillsmax facilities. This creates a pipeline of skilled talent for both manufacturing operations and construction trades. For construction projects, this workforce depth means access to trained workers, though coordination with local training programs can help identify specialized labor when needed.
Mansfield Rising 2.0 provides a roadmap for economic growth, placemaking, infrastructure investment, and community engagement. The initiative reflects coordinated efforts among public and private stakeholders to support development. For construction projects, this means potential alignment with municipal priorities, possible incentive opportunities, and infrastructure improvements that may benefit your development. We help clients understand how their projects fit within these broader initiatives.
Richland County hosts a significant concentration of plastics manufacturers, anchoring the Northeast Ohio polymer industry. Facility expansions for these companies often involve specialized equipment installations, environmental controls, and production continuity requirements. Projects must be coordinated carefully to avoid disrupting operations. We ensure contractors understand these constraints and that construction proceeds without impacting production schedules.
Mansfield has transitioned from heavy industry to a diversified economy anchored by healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and plastics production. MedCentral Health System is the largest employer, while manufacturers like Newman Technology and Edge Plastics represent the evolved manufacturing sector. This diversification creates varied construction needs from healthcare facility expansion to industrial retrofits, each with distinct requirements.
Absolutely. While we add the most value by being involved from pre-construction through closeout , we can tailor our services to your specific needs. We are often brought in just for pre-construction planning, to help with contractor selection, or to get a troubled project that's already underway back on track.
Yes. While some firms only focus on large institutional projects, we specialize in guiding small business owners and first-time developers. The need for an owner's rep depends more on your project's complexity than its size. A complex $2M restaurant renovation often has more risk than a simple $5M warehouse. We can help you assess if professional oversight makes financial sense for your specific project .
Yes. An owner's rep with a strong financial background is invaluable here. With an MBA in Real Estate Finance, we help you prepare the realistic, bank-ready documents lenders need to see. We create defensible pro formas, validate construction budgets, and manage the loan draw process, which builds essential trust and credibility with your lender.
Depending on scope, fees typically range from 0.5% to 1% of the total construction cost, depending on the project's complexity, timeline, and the specific scope of services you need . Studies have shown this investment typically saves clients 3-5% on total construction costs through rigorous contractor management, change order review, and problem prevention, meaning the service more than pays for itself.
Yes. Our service doesn't end when the contractor hands over the keys. Our "Phase 4: Closeout" process includes comprehensive warranty management and post-occupancy support to ensure your building functions as intended. We ensure all final documentation and manuals are collected, which is the foundation for your long-term facility management.
Of course. We'll provide you with all the free advice you can handle. But to get started formally, we'll have to make sure our services align with you needs. We'll get to know your project aspirations and put together a proposal. Until we have an agreement no payment is expected.
This information goes to a real human being. Its a great way to learn more and start the conversation without any obligation. We will never provide your personal or contact information to a 3rd party.
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