The suspension and non-suspension versions of the bike are not the same frame, the suspension version has far less head tube but still nevertheless more stack and less reach - due to the fork.

I really think the fork idea is going to be moot in the end. OP is never going to find a used one with a long enough steerer. It could only come from a comfort bike and who replaces the fork on those? That NEX fork isn't all that great either. My wife's bike is one of those comfort bikes and has one... it's one of the inexpensive and heavy variety, with steel stanchions and a coil spring. Neither of which is dysfunctional, but they do weigh pounds more than aluminum and air. The HLO cartridge is only a lockout, it does not provide any damping. There is a much nicer Suntour fork in this form factor but I can't recall the acronym and don't really care enough to look it up right now, OP won't find it used or want to pay for it new.