COLUMBUS - State Rep. Daniel Troy (D-Willowick) today announced $4,413,661 in grant funding for brownfield remediation and demolition in his district. As the ranking member of the Ohio House Finance Subcommittee on Agriculture, Development, and Natural Resources, Rep. Troy strongly advocated for the addition of $500 million 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.

Two projects in Representative Troy's district are 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 $4,303,292 for cleanup and remediation at a site in the old Mentor Village Uptown area at 8675 and 8677 Mentor Avenue in the City of Mentor. This project includes demolishing three vacant, deteriorating structures and addressing environmental concerns through underground contamination remediation. Additionally, infrastructure improvements will be made to prepare the site for future economic growth. Once the site is cleaned and ready, a 55,000-square-foot mixed-use building will be constructed, revitalizing the area, and creating 90 new jobs.

The Lake County Land Reutilization Corporation will also receive $110,369 for an assessment project located at 1230 Lost Nation Rd. in Willoughby. The project focuses on assessing a former Sunoco station property, paving the way for potential remediation and redevelopment. This initiative will not only help revitalize the surrounding commercial and residential areas in Willoughby, but also help identify any remaining contamination entering the nearby Chagrin River.

"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."

Representative 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," Representative Troy stated.