Lorain awarded $4 million for brownfield remediation

LORAIN — Lorain was awarded more than $4 million from the state of Ohio on Tuesday as part of a $60 million package through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program. The money is for cleanup of the roughly 20-acre Lorain Pellet Terminal site along Lake Erie and the Black River. The majority of the site already had phase I and II studies, and the remediation funds will be used to clear the site so it, and the finger piers, can be developed at a later date. The Pellet Terminal was used to unload and transfer iron ore via ships and rail cars. The property also includes the Brush Beryllium site, which operated until 1948 when a magnesium fire destroyed one of three buildings there. All the buildings between the Pellet Terminal and Brush Beryllium were razed by 1980, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, leaving behind a grassy field. Not all of the site is contaminated, Lorain Storm Water manager Kathryn Golden said shortly after the city applied for the funding — only pockets scattered throughout. Plans for the site include mixed-use development, which could mean residential properties on the second or third floors and shopping on the first. The city applied for a separate grant to turn the finger piers into green space, providing public access to the lakefront and connecting the Broadway Streetscape to Black River Landing. The Brush Beryllium site will be used for parking as it is already capped. The city will receive another $195,750 to assess the former St. Joseph Community Center, which has been a controversial site since its demolition has been on hold for close to a year. The 6-acre property was reduced to towering piles of rubble and a six-deck parking garage by property owner A7 Development and a related demolition company, Earth Exchange Inc. A7 Development purchased the former hospital complex from South Short Development Corp. LLC in March 2020 for $150,000. The city issued a stop-work order on the demolition in May 2021, and suspects the demolition company was dumping debris into the basement, with plans to cover it over before selling it to another developer. An inspection of the site last fall showed the former X-ray facilities and basements of the demolished buildings were filled with rubble 4 to 5 feet deep, clogging drains and collecting standing water. The city condemned the remainder of the property in October and recently paid to have a structural engineer examine the parking garage's integrity. That report is expected to be available soon. Mayor Jack Bradley was pleased to see the grants come to fruition. "I'm very happy that we secured those grants and will continue to pursue other funding opportunities," he said. Elyria, Avon Lake get funding Other Lorain County communities will also benefit from Tuesday's announcement of funding with $590,000 for Elyria Block Development LLC in support of Forge 417, which will bring an esports hub to downtown Elyria. The estimated $35.7 million project will see the renovation of the Dixon and Robinson buildings on Broad Street. In a project funding summary, the proposed project will engage in selective interior demolition necessary for the abatement of asbestos in areas identified in the asbestos survey throughout the building. After abatement and cleanup, an historic renovation of the buildings will create an esports area and gaming hub, complete with restaurant and café space, commercial office space, a media production facility and smart classrooms. There are an anticipated 154 jobs created as a result of the project. The buildings are owned by Grafton developer Kevin Flanigan and the project was recently awarded $3.4 million in state grants through the Transformational Mixed-Use Development Program offered by the Ohio Department of Development. Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield was ecstatic at the news that brings the city another step closer to realizing the revitalization of downtown. "We are appreciative of the governor's support of Elyria's transformation including our downtown. Many times residents are wondering what are we waiting for and often we are waiting because of opportunities like this. We are thankful also to all the partners who helped make this happen and congratulate Mr. Flanigan and the development team," Whitfield said. Flanigan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Elyria also received $300,000 in assessment funding for the former York International Corp. site off Leo Bullock Parkway owned by Sewango Valley High LLC out of Las Vegas. The HVAC manufacturer closed in 2001, moving jobs to Mexico and Kansas. Prior to the HVAC company, the site was home to a cold rolled steel mill and a railroad locomotive roadhouse. It has remained vacant since York International's closure. Assessment funds will support a phase II assessment of the property to identify environmental contamination, according to a news release from the governor's office. Avon Lake A $300,000 grant was awarded for assessment activities at the former GenOn power plant along Lake Road in Avon Lake. The power plant, which was fully acquired by the company Charah Solutions this month, will be demolished, and the site will be redeveloped. The city applied to the grant program in January, hoping it could help with the former coal-fired plant site. Charah Solutions has said decommissioning the plant will prevent half a million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year. Two phases of assessment activities are planned at the site. State Sen. Nathan Manning lauded funding coming to Lorain and Huron counties. "Ohio is moving forward economically, and redeveloping brownfield sites is crucial to recruit and build new businesses across the state," he said. "Huron and Lorain County will benefit immensely from these grants as long-standing vacant properties will be cleaned up and demolished for new developments that enhance the local economy and protect the health and safety of residents. I was proud to support House Bill 110, which made this program possible." Statewide impact The brownfield remediation program provides funding for local communities to clean up contaminated properties to enable future economic development. The funding for 78 projects across the state includes $54.8 million for 37 cleanup projects and $5.5 million for 41 assessment projects. "These hazardous, decaying sites — some of which have been vacant for decades — are barriers to economic growth and community revitalization, but now, we're going to help breathe new life into these areas," Gov. Mike DeWine said. "These projects we're funding today will not only revive these sites for new development, but they'll also improve quality of life and open the door for exciting new opportunities for the citizens of our state." DeWine announced the grant awards while visiting Mansfield, where a $3 million grant will be used to remediate petroleum tanks and hazardous chemicals at the remaining Westinghouse Electric Products buildings, which have been vacant since 1990. Westinghouse produced appliances such as electric ranges, curling irons and coffee makers at the location beginning in 1918. The site is expected to be redeveloped into housing, businesses, and/or green space in the future. The $60 million grant announcement represents the first set of grants awarded as part of Round 1 of the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, with nearly $350 million to be invested in total across the state in coming months. "More businesses are looking to expand in Ohio, but they need sites that are ready to go immediately," Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said. "By cleaning up brownfield sites, we are creating locations that are ready to accommodate a business expansion. We are also transforming communities by removing blighted buildings and turning those sites into new opportunities for economic development."