Ohio economic development officials recently announced that $41,188,065 has been awarded for 15 brownfield revitalization projects across the state, pending Controlling Board approval. The Clean Ohio Council, which Lt. Governor Fisher chairs, approved the projects for the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund Round 4 funding cycle.

"Brownfield revitalization is a critical component of our administration's Turnaround Ohio plan by assisting communities in the attraction of new investment based on the transformation of blighted properties to productive economic and community use," said Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development.

The Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund Round 4 Recipients are:

Ashtabula County Port Authority was awarded $3,000,000 for the Plant C revitalization project. Plant C was constructed in 1940 as a coal-fired power plant. The power plant portion of Plant C was mothballed in 1998 but the water pumping operations from Plant C to area businesses was maintained.

The Ashtabula County Port Authority took ownership of the 21-acre property in 2006. Currently, 20 million gallons per day of the 157 million-gallon-per-day capability are pumped from Lake Erie and distributed to eight nearby industries employing 906 full-time people (a $55 million annual payroll), with another 300 jobs linked indirectly. Remedial plans include asbestos abatement and removal of 7,050 tons of contaminated soils.

CORF funds will be used for asbestos abatement, demolition, and soil remediation. The total project cost for the Ashtabula County Port Authority Plant C Revitalization property is $6,163,000.

City of Canton (Stark County) was awarded $3,000,000 for the remediation of the former Bison Corporation site and surrounding neighborhood. The Company's operations included bulk redistribution of chemical solvents used for degreasing at metal plating facilities.

The Bison Corporation, which ceased operations in 2000, is responsible for improper disposal and management of chemicals resulting in significant soil and groundwater contamination, which has impacted a 77-acre portion of Canton that includes a large residential area.

Abbott Electric recently moved operations to the site and will continue its tenancy following the successful remediation of the contaminants left behind from the site's former occupant. Clean up for the site will entail the extraction of approximately 3,800 tons of soil while impacted soils will be treated using air sparging and soil vapor extraction.

CORF funds will be used for soil and groundwater remediation. The total project cost for the Former Bison Corporation property is $4,062,844.

City of Canton (Stark County) was awarded $3,000,000 for the redevelopment of the former Hercules Engine site. Past uses for the 26-acre site include metal casting, engine testing, lumber storage, and general foundry operations.

Hercules Engine ceased operations in the late 1990's and Broadview Development Company, LLC gained ownership of the property in 2005. In order to cleanup the site, an approximate 7,900 tons of soil must be removed and a "pump and treat" system will be installed to address groundwater contamination.

CORF fund will be used for soil and groundwater remediation, and demolition activities. The total project cost for the Former Hercules Engine property is $12,174,093.

City of Cincinnati (Hamilton County) was awarded $3,000,000 for the revitalization of 18 acres of vacant industrial property for the MetroWest Commerce Park project. The property has been used for a variety of industrial purposes since 1870, the recent being the reconditioning of waste drums.

The committed end-users plan to lease/own 75,000 square feet of building space, resulting in 32 new and 86 retained jobs. The property is expected to attract a total of 400 jobs. Remedial plans include 14,700 tons of soil to be removed, bioremediation of groundwater, and asbestos abatement.

CORF funds will be used for demolition, asbestos abatement, and remediation of soil and groundwater contamination. The total project cost for the MetroWest Commerce Park property is $11,977,993.

City of Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) was awarded $2,046,713 for the redevelopment of an area in the Broadway Corridor to be renamed the Morgana East Development. The 5.1-acre property is part of a larger 15-acre residential and commercial development project.

The City in cooperation with partners Zaremba Inc, Slavic Village Development, and Third Federal Savings will construct 50 new housing units as part of a larger 135- unit residential and commercial development.

The CORF funds will be used for the asbestos abatement, demolition, and soil remediation. The total project cost for the Morgana East property is $4,730,613.

City of Columbus (Franklin County) was awarded $3,000,000 for the redevelopment of the TechCenter South property located in the Vassor Village neighborhood. Vacant since 2004, the 45.48-acre property once produced television tubes and employed 1,500 persons.

A committed end user will bring 123 jobs to the property with future development plans that include retail, office/storage space and a call center. Proposed remediation includes treatment of 7,700 tons of soil, removal of 4,000 tons of soil, and lead dust removal from 1 million square feet of buildings.

CORF funds will also be used for infrastructure improvements and demolition of furnaces and raw materials buildings. Total project cost for TechCenter South is $5,961,740.

City of Columbus (Franklin County) was awarded $3,000,000 for the revitalization of the former Columbus Coated Fabrics site between 5th and 11th Avenue along Grant Avenue to provide a catalyst for the redevelopment of the Weinland Park Neighborhood.

The 21.5-acre property, vacant since 2001, was used to manufacture a variety of products including oil cloth, war materials, and vinyl fabric products. The City is currently demolishing the onsite buildings and with its partners plan to redevelop the site into a 500-unit residential community and an accompanying greenspace, with a construction cost of more than $35,000,000.

CORF funds will be used for asbestos abatement, demolition activities, removal of contaminated soil, acquisition, and infrastructure improvements.

City of Cuyahoga Falls (Summit County) was awarded $2,381,440 for the redevelopment of the South Front Street District, an environmentally sensitive area along the Cuyahoga River and Gorge.

Historical uses for the 7-acre property include wire manufacturers, foundries, and milling companies, resulting in impacted soil and groundwater. The committed end user, Farris Company, plans to develop two mixed-use buildings that will include 122 condominiums, retail space, parking, and will create 20 new jobs.

CORF funds will be used for acquisition, soil and groundwater remediation, asbestos abatement, and demolition. The total project cost for the High Bridge Glens property is $4,640,889.

City of Dayton (Montgomery County) was awarded $2,997,873 for the redevelopment of a 49-acre tract of land that was historically used by NCR corporation for manufacturing activities.

The development plans include the revitalization of approximately 477,000 square feet of the existing structure into space supporting a combination of uses including research and development, academic, and commercial end-uses.

Remedial plans include asbestos abatement and removal of 36,900 tons of contaminated soils. The total project cost for the University of Dayton REDI property is $20,157,076.

City of Ironton (Lawrence County) was awarded $2,499,200 for the development of the Ironton Iron facility—a 24-acre commercial/industrial zoned property located along the Ohio River. Remedial plans include groundwater remediation and removal of 4,600 tons of contaminated soils.

CORF dollars would be used for demolition and remediation. The total project cost for the Ironton Iron, Inc. property is $3,388,145.

City of Lorain (Lorain County) was awarded $2,996,165 for the redevelopment of the former Lorain Ford Assembly Plant. The plant began operation on the 77.7-acre property in 1958 and was used for manufacturing and assembling motor vehicles until the plant closed in December 2005.

The Former Lorain Ford Assembly Plant will be revitalized by IRG Lorain, LLC into a site consisting of both commercial and industrial units, office space, and distribution facilities. A committed end user is expected to create 192 jobs.

CORF funds will be used for demolition, remediation, and infrastructure improvements. The total project cost for the Former Lorain Ford Assembly Plant property is $11,732,492.

City of Sandusky (Erie County) was awarded $3,000,000 for the revitalization of its waterfront, which was catalyzed by the CORF Round 2 Bayfront Paper District Project and the CORF Round 3 GeoGradel Property. The first known use of the property was for a railroad company freight depot.

The project property will be redeveloped by Watertower Development Corporation into residential condominiums with public access walkways along Lake Erie.

CORF funds will be used for demolition, soil remediation, and acquisition. The total project cost for the Deep Water Development property is $5,827,000.

Village of Sebring (Mahoning County) was awarded $1,117,688 for the redevelopment of the Royal Sebring Properties project, which will revitalize a former pottery manufacturing site. The last user of the site was Oliver China Company, and historical operations at the site include chinaware manufacturing, aluminum foundry activities, and vehicle and tractor-trailer parking.

Remedial activities include filling in lead-contaminated sedimentation ponds and the removal of 2,300 tons of other contaminated soils that will be disposed of off-site and the demolition of approximately 100,000 square feet of existing buildings.

The total project cost for Royal Sebring property is $1,529,331.

City of Springfield (Clark County) was awarded $2,248,986 for the redevelopment of the former International Lagonda Assembly Plant revitalization project. The 58-acre site has been used for a variety of operations including foundry activities, woodworking, painting, and the manufacturing and assembly of trucks.

The City of Springfield, along with the Community Improvement Corporation, will construct and occupy a portion of the 50,000 square foot industrial building on the site. The site cleanup calls for approximately 6,500 tons of soil to be removed.

The CORF funds will be used for demolition, asbestos abatement, and soil and groundwater remediation. The total project cost for Former International Lagonda Assembly Plant property is $2,998,492.

City of Toledo (Lucas County) was awarded $3,000,000 for the redevelopment with the ACME Power Plant project that will revitalize this 3.84-acre vacant, abandoned riverfront property. Toledo Edison occupied the property for nearly 80 years as a fossil fuel electric generation power plant until its closure in 1994.

A portion of the power plant will be redeveloped into a 50,000-square-foot-mixed-use commercial, retail, parking, and residential. The remediation of the site calls for approximately 2,200 tons of soil to be removed as well as asbestos abatement in the West Wing and a portion of the Turbine Support Deck.

The total project cost for ACME Power Plant property is $4,218,520.

The Clean Ohio Council has awarded 64 Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund awards since 2002 totaling more than $158 million in brownfield remediation dollars, while leveraging a planned $2 billion in private and public investment upon project completions.

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