Two Piqua projects will receive funding through the Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program.
The announcement came this week as Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced $58.2 million in state support to help clean up and redevelop 61 hazardous brownfield sites in 33 counties.
Funds awarded will help 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.
The Miami County Land Reutilization Corporation will receive $2,602,500 for asbestos abatement and incidental demolition of obsolete equipment at the City of Piqua’s former power plant at 919 S. Main St. Remediation will prepare the site for a mixed-use commercial redevelopment, potentially including recreational, entertainment, residential or specialty production facilities, supporting job creation and economic growth in the area.
“The former Piqua Power Plant site offers our community an opportunity to preserve and transform the building into something special that takes advantage of the unique character of the structure and its location along the Great Miami River and Piqua’s expansive trail system,” said Chris Schmiesing, City of Piqua economic development director. “This grant provides an invaluable opportunity to position the site to be preserved and readied for a future revitalization project. Completion of this first step of our adaptive reuse project will be another marker of Piqua’s continued economic growth and success.”
The total cost of remediation is estimated to be $3,470,000. The grant from the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program will cover 75 percent of the total cost, and Piqua Power System will fund the balance.
A Phase II Environmental Study Assessment was completed at the former power plant site earlier this year. The study was paid for with grant funds received from a prior round of Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program. The report produced identifies the locations of asbestos-containing materials and what items need to be remediated to ready the building to be revitalized.
Additionally, the Miami County Land Reutilization Corporation will receive $76,922 for phase I and Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR) tier II assessments of the Star Fuel former gas station site, 5580 N. County Road 25A. The assessment will define contamination levels in soil and groundwater, with further activities planned to remove blight and prepare the site for commercial redevelopment, eliminating a long-standing nuisance along Piqua’s southern entryway.
The City of Piqua is partnering with the Miami County Land Reutilization Corporation on these projects, as the state grant program requires applications for funding from localities to be routed through the county land reutilization corporation in that county.
For a full list of projects funded statewide, visit the State of Ohio website for more information.