Mercer, Auglaize counties awarded $500K grants

CELINA - Mercer and Auglaize counties have each been awarded $500,000 grants as part of the Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program.

Preble County, which did not submit an application, is the only one of Ohio's 88 counties not to receive grants funds, per state documents.

Mercer County commissioners this week signed off on a grant agreement with Ohio Department of Development for the program funds.

Of the $500,000, $50,000 will be set aside for general administration and $62,000 for pre-demolition expenses such as environmental remediations, leaving $388,000 for building demolition and site restoration, per commissioners' resolution.

The funds are intended to help communities turn blighted properties into new opportunities that attract investment, business and jobs, according to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's news release.

Mercer County sought and received the maximum award amount of $500,000, said county community development director Jared Ebbing. Nine projects were listed in the county application.

"We just submitted several projects that are more on the commercial side of things," Ebbing said.

However, due to inflation and numerous local governments pursuing the same types of projects statewide, not all of the county's targeted projects will likely be carried out.

"There's no guarantee that we're going to be able to get all the way through the list," Ebbing cautioned. "We'll start and see where the numbers come in at … and see how far $500,000 gets us knowing every other county, pretty much, got exactly the same amount and they're going to be doing exactly the same thing."

The top priority is the razing of an old building on city property on North Street in Celina. The aging structure must come down before a new electric distribution facility can be built to consolidate Celina electric department's sites and equipment in a centralized location.

City council members just a few days ago passed legislation authorizing city safety service director Tom Hitchcock to enter into a $2.08 million contract with Arcon Builders of Arcanum to construct a 20,000 square foot steel frame storage building with metal exterior walls and roof panels and metal interior wall panels.

"They want to get moving on that new building so we'll work with them to try to come up with some initial quote, see what it would take to knock it down," Ebbing said.

Ebbing said there are various scenarios in which the grant dollars could be spent. They could go toward the demolition or perhaps site cleanup, he noted.

"We work very well with the city so we'll come up with some game plan that meets their expedited timeframe," he said.

Other potential projects include razing the Spriggs building and the former Orchard Tree restaurant which are both in Celina.

The Spriggs building, located next door to the fire department, is owned by the Mercer County government.

The former Orchard Tree Restaurant at 501 Grand Lake Road was purchased by Mercer Health.

"We're looking at helping Mercer Health with their redevelopment of that site," Ebbing said. "Officially the (grant) title is a building demolition and site revitilization program."

Jon Dingledine, chief financial officer at Mercer Health, in January had said there were no immediate plans for the facility. The decision to purchase the building, he had said, makes sense because Mercer Health has office spaces nearby at the Celina Pro health complex on Pro Drive, as well as the Grand Lake Regional Cancer Center on Havemann Road.

In total, approximately $150 million in state grants will be awarded for demolition and revitalization projects across the state in coming months, per the release. As part of the program's initial round of funding, $500,000 was set aside for all of Ohio's 88 counties through June 30.

The Ohio General Assembly funded the program as part of the state biennium budget bill, House Bill 110.

"There are vacant, decaying buildings all over the state that are nothing but eyesores, and it's time for these structures to go," DeWine said in the release."By investing to tear down these dangerous properties, we're not only helping to transform the landscape of our communities, but we're also clearing the way for redevelopment, more jobs, and new opportunities for Ohio residents."