June 5, 2025, Press Release from the Office of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine:
COLUMBUS, Ohio —Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik today announced nearly $60 million in state support to help clean up and redevelop 51 hazardous brownfield sites in 27 counties.
The Department of Development is awarding the funding as part of the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program. Today’s announcement includes approximately $57.7 million for 43 cleanup/remediation projects and $1.7 million for eight assessment projects.
“Over the years, we’ve helped transform hundreds of unsafe, blighted, and abandoned sites into new centers of opportunity across Ohio,” said Governor DeWine. “Through this program, we’re building stronger, safer neighborhoods and turning yesterday’s liabilities into tomorrow’s assets.”
Since its launch in 2021, the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program has awarded $716.9 million to 681 projects in 86 counties. Funding is used to 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.
“These projects prove that economic growth doesn’t always require starting from scratch,” said Lt. Governor Tressel. “By bringing these brownfield sites back to life, we’re taking underused land and turning it into housing, commercial hubs, and job creators capable of changing lives.”
“When we clear away what’s been holding our communities back, we make room for what’s possible,” said Director Mihalik. “I’ve seen families move into apartments where old factories once stood. I’ve seen vacant buildings transformed into thriving homes for small businesses. And I’ve walked through neighborhoods filled with hope because someone believed in what they could be. That’s the power of this program — it turns potential into progress.”
The Ohio General Assembly is funding the program through the current operating budget. Today's grants represent the 10th round of funding.
Ohio's 88 counties were each eligible for at least $1 million in funding, with the remaining funds awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
A full list of projects receiving grants can be found here.
Locally, the projects receiving grant funding include:
Allen County Land Reutilization Corporation (Allen County)
Project Name: Riverfront One
$175,000
Cleanup/Remediation
This project will fund asbestos abatement at the Riverfront One property in downtown Lima, a former industrial site with a history of petroleum storage and manufacturing. Cleanup will remove redevelopment barriers and enable the site’s transformation into a mixed-use development featuring residential and retail spaces. Ten new jobs are anticipated.
Auglaize County Board of Commissioners (Auglaize County)
Project Name: Remediation/Demolition of the Former Auglaize Acres County Nursing Home
$1,075,165
Cleanup/Remediation
This project involves the remediation and demolition of the former Auglaize Acres County Nursing Home. Remediation will address asbestos and other contaminants to prepare the site for redevelopment by Wapakoneta Health Facilities, LLC, which plans to build a new nursing and assisted living center on the property. The project is expected to create 87 new full-time jobs and preserve access to essential health services for Auglaize County residents.
