By 1808Delaware; Office of Governor DeWine
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted have announced $88 million in state support for 123 brownfield remediation projects that will help clean up hazardous and underutilized sites throughout the state.
One of the awards will assist an owner in renovating a landmark property in the Northwest Neighborhood area of Delaware.
The Ohio Department of Development is funding the awards through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, which is designed to clean up and prepare hazardous brownfield sites for redevelopment. The projects announced today will impact communities in 35 counties across the state.
“Our goal is to create opportunities and make a positive difference in the lives of Ohioans,” said Governor DeWine. “Removing these eyesores and cleaning up blighted properties will help make way for new and exciting opportunities in our state.”
Today’s $88 million grant announcement includes approximately $79.3 million for cleanup/remediation projects and $8.8 million for 51 assessment projects. These grants are in addition to the $60 million in Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program grants awarded in April and $192 million awarded in June. In total, the DeWine-Husted Administration has invested nearly $350 million in funding through the program to support 313 projects in 83 counties.
“Not only are we removing hazardous materials and blight through this program, but we’re removing barriers to future development,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “Communities are one step closer to building great development sites in their regions.”
Funds awarded today will help assess and clean up industrial, commercial, and institutional brownfield sites that are abandoned, idled, or underutilized due to a known or potential release of hazardous substances or petroleum. Following site remediation, properties can be redeveloped to revitalize neighborhoods and attract new economic development.
“Revitalizing these properties can transform the landscape of a local community,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. “By investing in these sites, we allow communities to turn them into something that is worth noting, visiting and a highlight to the local area.”
In Delaware, the historic house at 54 West Lincoln Street will receive $218,634 in cleanup and remediation in funding through the Delaware County Land Bank. Constructed in 1870, this building was a personal residence until approximately 1915 and later served as the chapter house for the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Ohio Wesleyan University from 1915 to 1961. It was a nursing home from 1963 to 2008 and has been vacant since.
In addition to the original home, there is a wrap-around addition built in the 1970s. After the removal of asbestos, the owners plan to demolish the addition and restore the original structure to a single-family residence and home offices for businesses.
