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For Immediate Release
January 30, 2012

State Approves more than $1.2 Million for Clean Ohio Assistance Fund Projects

Columbus, Ohio - Today, the State Controlling Board approved $1,201,595 in Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grants for five Ohio communities. The Clean Ohio Assistance Fund supports brownfield redevelopment in Ohio's urban areas, and is administered by the Office of Redevelopment, which is housed within the Ohio Department of Development's Community Services Division.

"Clean Ohio investments help determine if vacant or underutilized properties will have productive futures," said Thea Walsh, Deputy Chief for the Office of Redevelopment. "The assessment and remediation are the initial steps towards economic redevelopment opportunities."

The Clean Ohio Assistance Fund is part of the Clean Ohio Fund, which restores, protects, and connects Ohio's important natural and urban areas by preserving green space and farmland, improving outdoor recreation, and cleaning up brownfields to encourage redevelopment and revitalize communities.

City of Barberton (Summit County) will receive a $289,312 grant to conduct a Phase II Environmental Assessment on the former Seiberling Industry property. The property, located at 315 15th Street NW, is made up of four parcels totaling 18.69 acres north of downtown. The Phase II Environmental Assessment, which will determine the property's environmental suitability and possible need for remediation, will include the installation of 79 deep soil borings, 65 shallow soil borings, 33 shallow monitoring wells, and two deep monitoring wells. The assessment also will include concrete samples, an asbestos survey, data evaluation, and reporting. The city and the Barberton Land Improvement Company, LLC plan to redevelop the property for commercial or industrial uses. Buckeye Polymers Inc., which manufactures plastic pellets, intends to occupy the space, creating 80 jobs.

City of Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) will receive a $298,480 grant to conduct a Phase II Environmental Assessment on the Fortuna Cleveland Expansion property. The property, located at 2525 Rockefeller Avenue, is made up of five parcels totaling 11.4 acres south of downtown in the Cuyahoga River Valley Industrial Corridor. The Phase II Environmental Assessment, which will determine the property's environmental suitability and possible need for remediation, will include the installation of 109 soil borings and 18 groundwater monitoring wells. The assessment also will include concrete samples, data evaluation, and reporting. Depending on the outcome of the assessment, the city plans to sell the property for future redevelopment opportunities.

City of Columbus (Franklin County) will receive a $300,000 grant to conduct remediation activities on the Atlas Building redevelopment property. The property, located at 8 East Long Street, totals .33 acres in the city's downtown. The city and Schiff Capital Group plan to invest more than $16 million to redevelop the historic 13-story building into a mixed-use facility with retail and residential spaces. The project is expected to create up to 20 jobs and retain 15 positions.

City of Sidney (Shelby County) will receive a $201,096 grant to conduct a Phase II Environmental Assessment on the former Wagner Manufacturing property. The property, located at 440 Fair Road, is made up of 26 parcels totaling 5.74 acres west of downtown. The Phase II Environmental Assessment, which will determine the property's environmental suitability and possible need for remediation, will include the installation of 66 soil borings, nine groundwater monitoring wells, one deep groundwater monitoring well, and nine soil gas wells. The assessment also will include data evaluation and reporting. The city plans to redevelop the property for residential use.

Harrison Township (Montgomery County) will receive a $112,707 grant to conduct a Phase II Environmental Assessment on the Forest Park Plaza. The property, located at 4360 North Main Street, totals 45.5 acres. The Phase II Environmental Assessment, which will determine the property's environmental suitability and possible need for remediation, will include the installation of 27 soil borings and 13 groundwater monitoring wells. The assessment also will include an asbestos survey, data evaluation, and reporting. The township is redeveloping the vacant property for mixed uses, and has already taken significant steps by making infrastructure improvements and adding new roads and travel signals.

The Clean Ohio Assistance Fund is an open-cycle program that provides grant dollars for Phase II Environmental Assessment and Brownfield Cleanup/Public Health Projects. To date, 218 Clean Ohio Assistance Fund projects have been awarded, totaling more than $75 million. Of the 218 projects, 63 were for cleanup projects, which leveraged more than $1 billion and are expected to create and retain more than 5,800 jobs. For more information about the Clean Ohio Assistance Fund, visit www.clean.ohio.gov.

The Office of Redevelopment, located within the Department's Community Services Division, assists communities with place-based redevelopment which creates wealth from personal, business, and community successes. The Office 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