Governor DeWine Announces Nearly $50 Million for Demolition and Brownfield Remediation Projects

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced on Friday, that nearly $50 million in grant funding will be available for brownfield remediation and building demolition across the state. 

The Department of Development is awarding the funding through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program and Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program. Both grant programs were developed by the DeWine-Husted Administration in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly to create room for new economic opportunities in areas that currently cannot be developed due to contamination or the presence of vacant, dilapidated structures. 

“By investing in these sites, we’re giving these areas a fresh start,” said Governor DeWine. “We developed these programs to turn areas of neglect into places of hope and opportunity for businesses and families alike.”

“By removing the physical remnants of decline, these projects make room for growth, revitalizing neighborhoods and attracting investment that boosts local economies,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “The transformation of once-abandoned properties into vibrant, usable space not only enhances property values, it also creates a sense of renewal, making way for sustainable development.”

Friday’s announcement represents the fifth round of funding for both programs. 

The new Ohio Brownfield Remediation grants announced Friday, a total $16.2 million to clean up and redevelop 52 hazardous brownfield sites in 31 counties, including funding for the demolition and remediation of the Fredericksburg School in Wayne County. Built in 1891, the building is unsafe due to its age and the presence of asbestos and lead paint. Once the hazards are remediated and the school is demolished, the site will be prepared for the construction of a new South Central Fire Department.

Since the launch of the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, the Department of Development has awarded nearly $470 million to support 426 brownfield remediation/ assessment projects in 84 counties. 

The new Ohio Demolition and Site Revitalization grants announced Friday a total of $33.1 million to demolish 341 vacant, dilapidated buildings in five counties, including the demolition of the Reeves Building in Warren, which has long been both an eyesore and public health and safety risk in the area. The Reeves Building is the last in a series of blighted buildings to be demolished in downtown Warren to make way for new economic development opportunities in the area.

Since the launch of the Ohio Demolition and Site Revitalization Program, more than $233 million in grants have been awarded to support more than 5,000 demolition projects in every county in the state.

“With every project, we are reclaiming Ohio’s rich history and reimagining it for a brighter future,” said Director Mihalik. “It’s about more than just cleanup; it’s about renewal – inspiring innovation, attracting business, and building stronger communities.”

Both programs are part of Governor Mike DeWine’s Ohio BUILDS Initiative, which focuses on supporting targeted solutions that impact quality of life, such as water infrastructure improvements, broadband expansion, brownfield redevelopment, and the demolition of blighted buildings. 

The Hardin County Commissioners were awarded a total of $900,000 for three separate assessment projects.

A project at 414 South Main Street in Kenton includes demolishing the two existing structures to conduct a geophysical survey and subsurface soil investigation. The project is expected to create four new jobs.

The assessment at 439 South Detroit Street in Kenton, historically used as a filling station with underground storage tanks, will focus on further defining the extent of environmental contamination on three additional parcels to the north.

Finally, a project at 13267 State Route 68 South, will focus on the environmental assessment of the property, which has been vacant since 2015.

The assessment will determine the extent of contamination, guiding future remediation efforts. 

A total of 24 new jobs are expected to be created by the projects.