Rep. Troy Announces $488,540 Awarded for Brownfield Remediation and Cleanup
COLUMBUS – State Rep. Daniel Troy (D-Willowick) today announced $488,540 in a new round of grant funding for brownfield remediation and cleanup in his district. This funding builds on the more than $4.4M in brownfield remediation and development in Rep. Troy’s district that was announced last September. As the ranking member of the Ohio House Finance Subcommittee on Agriculture, Development, and Natural Resources, Rep. Troy strongly advocated for the addition of $500M in brownfield remediation and demolition funds to the current state operating budget, which had no appropriation for this purpose when it was introduced.
"Lake County and Northeast Ohio have benefited greatly and improved the quality of life for its citizens through the efficient and effective utilization of state funding for not only brownfield cleanup, but also the demolition of aging and dangerous structures. As a County Commissioner, I led the efforts to secure several brownfield clean-up grants from the Clean Ohio Program. And, as the former Vice-Chair of the Lake County Land Bank, I was aware of the need for sufficient funding to demolish deteriorating and unsafe structures that contributed to neighborhood blight in our communities,” said Rep. Troy.
One project in Rep. Troy’s district is receiving funding from the Ohio Department of Development’s Brownfield Remediation Program. The Lake County Land Reutilization Corporation (Land Bank), under the leadership of Executive Director John Rogers, will receive $488,540 for cleanup and remediation at the Willoughby Union High School. The project includes asbestos abatement and partial demolition to prepare the former Willoughby Union High School for redevelopment. The plans feature 35 residential units and 19 townhouses, aiming to expand local housing options while preserving the building's historic architectural elements.
“We certainly appreciate the efforts of Rep. Troy. He is cognizant of the needs in not only Lake County but throughout the state,” said Lake County Land Reutilization Corporation (Land Bank) Executive Director John Rogers. “The Land Bank is excited to have won this award from the Department of Development. We have been fortunate. There are a lot of projects going on and a lot of investment coming into Lake County. It’s a good thing.”
Rep. Troy was applauded for his advocacy during the budget process on this issue. He regularly argued for the need to concentrate on re-development of older sites like these.
“We need to stop ignoring Ohio’s older sites and subjecting them to further deterioration. This emphasis on spending all of our resources on new developments in the middle of nowhere uses up a lot of green space and requires new utility and transportation infrastructure to serve them. It makes more sense to reinvest in these older sites rather than make these new investments," Rep. Troy stated.