State grant awarded for demolition project

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A second property along E. Central Ave. in downtown Van Wert will come down, thanks to a new state grant that has been awarded to the Van Wert County Land Reutilization Corporation (Land Bank).

The grant, which was announced on Friday by will be used to demolish the building at 137 E. Central Ave., which previously housed the Century Bar. The building has been long vacant and is now dilapidated.

A neighboring building at 139 E. Central Ave. is also slated for demolition by way of a $279,520 grant announced in May. That building has also been vacant for some time. It’s not yet known when the two buildings will come down.

Other new grants announced for area demoltion projects include:

• 212 E. First St., Rockford
• 0 High St., Mendon
• 105 Jefferson St., Mendon
• 205 N. Main St., Grover Hill
• 12435 Blaine St., Scott

In all, $11.9 million in grants announced on Friday will help 73 counties prepare sites for redevelopment by demolishing existing unsafe, blighted buildings. The funding is coming from the latest round of the Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program. Ohio’s operating budget has allotted $21.5 million each fiscal year to help communities demolish dilapidated residential and commercial structures and prepare those properties for future economic development. 

“In Ohio, every building has a story,” Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik said. “When those stories come to an end, those properties still have one final purpose: making way for something better. By helping our communities remove these long-neglected structures, we’re creating opportunities for new investment, new housing, new businesses, and a stronger future for the people who call these neighborhoods home.”

The newest grants are in addition to a round of grants announced in May, including:

Best Auto, Van Wert

$369,530 for cleanup/remediation. This project will demolish a former auto repair shop and filling station in Van Wert, where Phase I and II assessments identified asbestos in the building and soil contamination beneath and around the structure. Removal of the asbestos-containing building and remediation of impacted soils will prepare the centrally located downtown parcel for redevelopment as much-needed public parking to support nearby businesses and residential units.

YWCA of Van Wert County

$201,600 cleanup/remediation. This project will conduct asbestos remediation at the fully operational YWCA building, where previous assessments identified asbestos-containing materials. Abatement will make the facility safer for residents and community members who rely on the organizationʼs services. The cleanup supports long-term building health and safety, ensuring the YWCA can continue providing essential housing and programming for women in crisis.

139 Central Ave., Van Wert

 $279,520 cleanup/remediation. This project will demolish a structurally failing, asbestos-contaminated downtown Van Wert building that cannot be safely abated due to collapse risks. The demolition will remove blight, eliminate environmental hazards, and prepare the site for future use as a parking area with greenspace to support nearby residential and commercial activity. The project is expected to create two new jobs.

Delphos Water Plant

$3,245 assessment. This project will support environmental assessment activities at the former Delphos Water Plant, a vacant and abandoned water treatment facility owned by the City of Delphos. The 30-acre property is located within a designated Priority Investment Area and is suspected to contain environmental contamination associated with historic water treatment operations. Assessment activities will help determine whether hazardous materials or other environmental concerns are present at the site and identify any future remediation needs prior to demolition or redevelopment planning. The project will provide the city with critical environmental information needed to evaluate future reuse opportunities for the property while supporting long-term community revitalization and redevelopment efforts.

Glenmore Station

$146,105 cleanup/remediation. This project will support demolition and environmental remediation activities at the former Glenmore Station property in Van Wert County. Once complete, the property will be transformed into a community greenspace with potential future park amenities for local residents.