Ohio announces demo projects to be funded

The administration of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has announced 825 blighted and vacant structures in 30 counties will be demolished thanks to some $150 million in funding from the state’s Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program.

The governor’s office says the plan was developed to help local communities tear down dilapidated commercial and residential buildings and revitalize surrounding properties to attract investments, businesses and jobs.

“There are sites all over Ohio that are perfect for redevelopment, but the cost to demolish the crumbling structures on these properties is standing in the way of new economic opportunities,” DeWine says. “By helping to clear out this blight, we’re investing in the future of our citizens and our communities.”

The governor’s office lists several of the larger projects, including grants to:

• Allen County Land Reutilization Corp. for a project in Delphos, Ohio, to demolish an abandoned commercial building in that city’s downtown. Formerly a train depot, the site most recently served as an antique mall.
• Butler County Land Reutilization Corp. for a project in Fairfield, Ohio, to demolish the former Forest Fair mall site. The site has been abandoned for more than 15 years and portions of it have been condemned.
• Delaware County Land Reutilization Corp. for a project in Delaware, Ohio, to demolish two buildings adjacent to the Ohio Wesleyan University campus and downtown Delaware.
• Stark County Land Reutilization Corp. and the North Canton Community Improvement Corp. for a project in that city to demolish an old Kmart store that has been vacant since 2020. After demolition, the city intends to sell the property to be redeveloped as a site for a Meijer store and other retailers.

In total, the Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program will award approximately $150 million in grants for demolition and revitalization projects in the state. The governor’s office says additional details about demolition projects in counties not represented in its first announcement will be announced in the coming weeks.