Press Room >> 2011 Press Releases

For Immediate Release
November 18, 2011

More than $27.5 Million in Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund Grants Approved to Assist Communities with Brownfield Clean-Up
Projects expected to create and retain nearly 1,280 jobs

Columbus, Ohio - Today, the Clean Ohio Council approved more than $27.5 million in Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grants for 15 brownfield clean-up projects throughout the state, which are expected to create and retain nearly 1,280 jobs. The funding, approved at a Clean Ohio Council Round 11 awards meeting, will allow for the reuse of commercial and industrial properties that are currently idle. The grants are contingent upon State Controlling Board approval.

"The communities receiving Clean Ohio Funds will be able to take that first important step to redevelopment – ensuring sites are safe and ready for growth," said Thea Walsh, Deputy Chief of the Office of Redevelopment. "These investments will not only assist in finding new uses for old and underused properties, they will also support vital job creation efforts around the state."

The Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund is a competitive statewide program that provides grants of up to $3 million to acquire property, demolish structures, conduct environmental cleanup, and improve infrastructure. Since its inception, 150 Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund projects have been awarded more than $280 million, leveraging $2.2 billion in private sector investment, and creating and retaining more than 15,400 jobs.

Round 11 Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund award recipients are as follows:

City of Akron (Summit County) – will receive $2.9 million to conduct demolition and remediation activities at the former Goodyear Power House property, located at 150 and 200 Innovation Way. Upon remediation, the property will be redeveloped into new commercial and industrial space including offices and tire manufacturing, which will aid in the retention of 800 jobs. The property includes Tech Centers A and B, renamed the Akron Innovation Center. The funds will be used to remove asbestos and universal waste, and demolish the existing buildings.

City of Cincinnati (Hamilton County) – will receive $662,922 to conduct acquisition, infrastructure, demolition, and remediation activities at the Calmego West Expansion Project property, located at 419 Poplar Street. Upon remediation, development partner Samuel Adams Brewery Company, Ltd. will expand its operations onto the site. The company will relocate its truck staging operations there to allow for expansion of its manufacturing facility. The project is expected to create 11 new jobs and retain 10 positions. The funds will be used to acquire the property, install infrastructure, remediate impacted soils, remove asbestos and universal waste, and demolish the existing buildings.

City of Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) – will receive $2.99 million to conduct infrastructure, demolition, and remediation activities at the Miceli-Lograsso Development Company III Expansion property, located at 2734 Tennyson Avenue and 2800 Grand Boulevard. Upon remediation, Miceli will invest more than $32 million to expand its cheese manufacturing operations and other services onto the property. The project is expected to create 50 jobs and retain 135 positions. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils, remove asbestos and universal waste, install infrastructure, and demolish the existing buildings.

City of Columbus (Franklin County) – will receive $3 million to conduct infrastructure, demolition, and remediation activities at the former Timken site, located at 1047 Cleveland Avenue. Upon remediation, the Strait and Lamp Group plans to expand its facilities and operations onto the property, creating six jobs and retaining 17 positions. Wagenbrenner Development plans to plans to invest $10 million to redevelop the remainder of the property into retail and warehouse buildings. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils, improve infrastructure, and demolish the existing building foundations.

City of Dayton (Montgomery County) – will receive $2.19 million to conduct acquisition, infrastructure, demolition, and remediation activities at the Goodwill Easter Seals Project property, located at 652 South Main Street. Upon remediation, Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley (GESMV) plans to invest $10 million to redevelop the site into a new 80,000-square-foot headquarters, creating 50 jobs and retaining 125 positions. The funds will be used to acquire the property, improve infrastructure, remediate impacted soils, remove asbestos and universal waste, and demolish the existing buildings.

City of Kent (Portage County) – will receive $1.34 million to conduct remediation activities at the Mogadore Road property, located at 800 Mogadore Road. Upon remediation, the City plans to include the site in the existing Atlantic and Great Western Technology Park development, creating a location for start-up and technology-oriented companies. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils.

City of Norwood (Hamilton County) – will receive $2.48 million to conduct infrastructure, demolition, and remediation activities at the former American Laundry property, located at 4935 Section Avenue. Upon remediation, Neyer Properties plans to invest $8 million to redevelop the site into two buildings including a 30,000-square-foot office and industrial flex space building, and a 50,000-square-foot medical office building. Sterling Research Group has committed to create 20 new jobs. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils and groundwater, improve infrastructure, and demolish the existing building foundations.

City of Sandusky (Erie County) – will receive $1.09 million to conduct demolition and remediation activities at the former Apex Manufacturing property, located at 1643 First Street. Upon remediation, the City plans to redevelop the site into commercial, office, or light industrial space. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils, remove asbestos and universal waste, and demolish the existing buildings.

City of Toledo (Lucas County) – will receive $865,700 to conduct acquisition, demolition, and remediation activities at the Plabell Rubber Company property, located at 300 South St. Clair Street. Upon remediation, the property will be redeveloped into industrial space, residential units, and green space along Swan Creek. Rivereast Custom Cabinets, Inc. plans to expand manufacturing operations onto the property and is expected to create five jobs and retain 25 positions. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils, remove asbestos, and demolish existing buildings.

City of Toledo (Lucas County) – will receive $1.5 million to conduct infrastructure, demolition, and remediation activities at the UpTown Signature Park property, located at 1810 Madison Avenue, 311 18th Street, and 330 20th Street. Upon remediation, the City and UpTown Association will renovate the existing building into art studios and offices and create a new park in the City's Arts and Entertainment Village. The park will include an amphitheatre, a water structures, an outdoor stage, public art, an outdoor café, and children's play areas. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils, remove asbestos, improve infrastructure, and demolish two of the existing buildings.

City of Xenia (Greene County) – will receive $1.98 million to conduct demolition and remediation activities at the former Hooven and Allison Cordage Company property, located at 677 Cincinnati Avenue. Upon remediation, Xenex BioFuels, LLC plans to invest $52 million to develop part of the site into a biofuels facility, creating 25 jobs. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils, remove asbestos and universal waste, and demolish existing buildings.

City of Youngstown (Mahoning County) – will receive $1.77 million to conduct demolition and remediation activities at the former Wean United facility, located at 219 South Phelps Street. Upon remediation, the City would like to redevelop the site into manufacturing space or research and laboratory space for new environmental technologies. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils, remove asbestos and universal waste, and demolish the existing buildings.

Cuyahoga County – will receive $2 million to conduct demolition and remediation activities at the Viking Hall Block property, located at 2112 and 2130 Euclid Avenue in the City of Cleveland. Upon remediation, Cleveland State University plans to redevelop the site into a mix-use facility with institutional, residential, commercial, and retail space. The funds will be used to remove asbestos and universal waste, and demolish the existing buildings.

Hamilton County – will receive $1.24 million to conduct infrastructure, demolition, and remediation activities at the Lick Run – South Fairmount Neighborhood property, located at 2121 State Avenue in the City of Cincinnati. Upon remediation, the property will become a storm water demonstration site with a bioretention and filtration feature as the major green infrastructure component. The site will also feature the reuse of existing historic light poles as part of a public art display. The funds will be used to install infrastructure, remediate impacted soils, remove asbestos and universal waste, and demolish the existing buildings.

Miami County – will receive $1.4 million to conduct demolition and remediation activities at the Piqua Power Plant Waterfront property, located at 919 South Main Street in the City of Piqua. Upon remediation, the County, the City, and Piqua Improvement Corporation plan to redevelop the site into a waterfront park and trail along the Great Miami River. The funds will be used to remediate impacted soils and demolish the existing buildings.

The Clean Ohio Fund restores, protects, and connects Ohio's important natural and urban places by preserving green space and farmland, improving outdoor recreation, and by cleaning up brownfields to encourage redevelopment and revitalize communities. For more information about the Clean Ohio Fund, visit www.clean.ohio.gov.

The Office of Redevelopment, located within the Ohio Department of Development's Community Services Division, assists communities with place-based redevelopment which creates wealth from personal, business, and community successes. The Office of Redevelopment works to identify the resources and financing necessary to enhance the economic viability of local communities.

Working with partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the nonprofit sector, the Ohio Department of Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. Engaged every day in marketing, innovating, investing, and collaborating, the Ohio Department of Development works at the speed of business to accelerate and support the teamwork that is necessary for success by providing financial, informational, and technical assistance to those making an investment in Ohio's future.

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Media contacts: Katie Sabatino at (614) 466-6212
or the Communications and Marketing Office at (614) 466-2609