MOUNT VERNON — Two brownfield remediation projects will receive a combined $1 million in state support to help clean up hazardous and underutilized sites in Knox County, according to a press release issued Friday afternoon by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
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. In total, $88 million will fund projects to impact communities in 35 counties across the state.
“Our goal is to create opportunities and make a positive difference in the lives of Ohioans,” DeWine said. “Removing these eyesores and cleaning up blighted properties will help make way for new and exciting opportunities in our state.”
Knox County Land Bank state support for remediation projects
Locally, the Knox County Land Reutilization Corp. will be working on both projects.
A total of $781,922 is earmarked for the Cooper Administration Building cleanup.
This current site that serves as the Cooper Administration Building, is part of a 47-acre former industrial site that was an active manufacturing site from 1833 to 2017. A majority of buildings onsite are move-in ready for heavy manufacturing.
Cleanup will include complete asbestos remediation of a large former industrial office building. Once cleaned, the site will be marketed for renovation as a part of an urban industrial park campus.
The second project, involving Shellmar Industrial Park, will receive $218,078.
Formerly both American National Can and Ludlow Packaging Plant, a portion of the Shellmar Industrial Site was sold to Knox County in hopes of converting the property into a multi-tenant industrial area.
Remediation will include removal of an eight-acre concrete pad that made up the former factory floor, as well as demolition concrete, removing utility lines and other material to allow a new user to purchase the property.
The 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.”
