Pete HahnloserThe state of Ohio has allocated $67.3 million from the Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program to demolish 1,277 blighted and vacant structures in Butler, Clinton, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Logan, Lucas, Muskingum, Preble and Richland counties.
“These funds will enable our communities to turn forgotten properties into valuable assets that contribute to the modern economy,” Lt. Governor Jon Husted said. “This is an investment in the future of Ohio.”
State officials established the program in 2021 to assist communities in redeveloping dilapidated commercial and residential buildings and revitalizing surrounding areas to attract investments leading to more businesses and jobs.
“These buildings are standing in the way of progress, so it’s time to knock them down,” DeWine said. “Once these structures are gone, we expect to see new economic development opportunities coming into these neighborhoods.”
The Ohio General Assembly funds the Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program as part of the current operating budget. Each of Ohio’s 88 counties was eligible for at least $500,000, with the remaining funds distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional grant recipients will be announced in the coming months.
Buildings that are blighted, vacant or abandoned and located on sites that are not brownfields are eligible for demolition. Brownfields are defined as abandoned, idle or underused industrial, commercial or institutional properties where redevelopment is hindered by known or potential releases of hazardous substances or petroleum.
Commercial properties eligible for demolition include retail, office, manufacturing, industrial, warehousing, institutional and other non-residential purposes. Structures that are permanently attached to the land and used for commercial or residential purposes can also be included.
Since the program’s inception, the Ohio Department of Development has allocated over $200 million in grants to fund nearly 5,000 demolition projects across all counties in the state.
Projects from this year’s round of funding include:
- Butler County Land Reutilization Corporation: The Fairfield project will demolish structures on several parcels, including an old restaurant, former hotel foundations, and about 20,000 square yards (about the area of two Manhattan city blocks) of parking lot space. This demolition will allow significant commercial development opportunities.
- Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation: A long-abandoned 13-story high-rise in East Cleveland, known for its blight, will be torn down. After the demolition of the former 254-unit Huron Place Apartments, the site will be retained by its current owner to determine its future use.
- Lucas County Land Reutilization Corporation: Two vacant, deteriorated buildings in Sylvania — once a banquet hall and a clubhouse on a defunct golf course — will be demolished. The cleared space will be used for expanded Toledo Metroparks activities and further natural resource restoration.
- Preble County Land Reutilization Corporation: A building in West Alexandria, which has been a community safety concern, will be demolished to make way for redevelopment. There are already plans for potentially developing housing on the site.
- Richland County Land Reutilization Corporation: Following the demolition of a downtown Mansfield building, two underground storage caverns were discovered. One hazardous cavern will be demolished as part of this project, and the space will be converted into parking for downtown Mansfield.
“Seeing the plans that our communities have for these sites is inspiring,” Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik said. “Removing blight can increase property values, revitalize housing markets and eliminate safety hazards – paving the way for new businesses and opportunities.”
Photo by Gene Gallin on Unsplash
