More than $840,000 in state money is coming to Summit County to assess the steps that should be taken to clean up five properties with hazardous materials in the soil — most of them in Akron.
The funds are part of a $175 million annual allotment to clean up contaminated areas — known as brownfields — with $4.5 million statewide going to assessment projects such as the local efforts.
In Akron, gas stations and the site of an old rubber company will be evaluated to determine what needs to be done to remediate the properties.
The Summit County Land Bank will lead the efforts.
The Akron-area projects are:
- 999 S. Main St., Akron — $102,121 to assess a former gasoline and service station that’s been vacant since the early 2000s. The assessment will examine potential soil and groundwater contamination. It’s needed to determine the extent of environmental impact from the gas station and to develop a plan for site remediation. Once the site is remediated, it’s intended to be incorporated into the city’s long-range development plans and could create five jobs.
- 1025 -1035 Sweitzer Ave., Akron — $299,122 to assess two properties used by Star Rubber Co. and Portage Machine & Engineering Co. for industrial purposes. The properties have been vacant since the 1980s and have oil-stained concrete, a transformer room with possible chemical contamination, asbestos-wrapped piping and a 100-gallon oil storage tank, all of which may be environmental concerns. The money will go toward assessing and preparing the properties for redevelopment, including possibly integrating them into a larger parcel for commercial use. The redevelopment could create 10 jobs and enhance the area’s economic stability.
- 1367 Newton St., Akron — $109,502 to assess a property that was used as a gasoline filling station and car repair shop — from the early 1900s until 2003. The buildings were razed in 2020. The assessment will investigate environmental conditions that were discovered during a previous assessment with the intention of identifying any contamination and preparing the site for redevelopment. The Summit County Land Bank intends to work with developers to try to build housing in the area, which is in the Goodyear Heights neighborhood. The project is expected to create two new jobs, in addition to an unknown number of housing units.
- 1594 Main St., Peninsula — $139,103 to assess a property that was used for commercial and residential purposes, including a service station and automotive sales/repair business from the early 1900s. The property, vacant since 2019, has potential contamination from petroleum or other hazardous substances. The assessment will determine the extent of soil contamination and prepare a plan for remediation, which might include removing the soil. The intention is to enable future redevelopment while maintaining the character of the area, a tourist destination near Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Once redeveloped, the project could create five new jobs.
- 1830 S. Arlington St., Akron — $193,350 to assess a property that formerly held a service station. The site has a dilapidated structure with a pump canopy that’s been neglected. The structure is occupied by feral cats. It was foreclosed on and acquired by the land bank in 2022. The project aims to demolish the structure, conduct environmental assessments and remediate contamination. It’s part of a larger area that’s being considered for a redevelopment project that could become an assisted living facility. The project could contribute to revitalization in the neighborhood and create five new jobs.
Each of the projects is intended to contribute to economic development efforts. Mason Waldvogel, a spokesperson for the state Department of Development, said similar projects have been funded since 2021.
“It’s definitely helped in addressing environmental hazards and making these places safe again,” Waldvogel said.
Each county in the state has $1 million reserved, Waldvogel said, while an additional $82 million is available statewide on a first-come, first-served basis for eligible projects.
In a statement, state leaders said $450 million has been distributed to 374 projects in 83 counties since the program launched. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said in the statement that the grants would help turn hazardous properties into valuable economic assets.
“There is no easy way to clean up the contamination at these sites; they all need expert remediation that’s too costly for communities to take on alone,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in the statement. “Through this program, we’re helping local communities reclaim hazardous properties so that they can be reimagined and redeveloped.”
More awards will be announced in the coming months.
.
