Lake County Land Bank funds approved, multiple demo projects underway

Nov. 27—The Lake County Land Reutilization Corp., commonly known as the Lake County Land Bank, recently announced it has received notice that its application to the Ohio Department of Development for funds made available through Gov. Mike DeWine's Demolition and Site Revitalization Program was approved in its entirety.

The initiative was developed to help local communities tear down dilapidated commercial and residential buildings and revitalize surrounding properties to attract investments, businesses, and jobs.

"There are sites all over Ohio that are perfect for redevelopment, but the cost to demolish the crumbling structures on these properties is standing in the way of new economic opportunities," DeWine stated in a news release. "By helping to clear out this blight, we're investing in the future of our citizens and our communities."

The collective enterprise also serves to attract new business to the respective regions. According to officials, projects will be funded with set-aside grants announced for each county earlier this year.

Fifteen counties will also receive additional program funding totaling $22.6 million to cover demolition expenses in excess of the initial set-aside grants.

In total, the program will award approximately $150 million in grants for demolition and revitalization projects across the state.

"Upon review of the 30 land banks throughout Ohio listed in the department of development's allocations, we are slated to receive a total of $1,214,663, ranking it fourth overall among the award recipients granted statewide," said Land Bank Executive Director John Rogers.

"These funds, when combined with our required matching component of $178,667, will result in an overall projects expenditure of $1,393,330."

Sites are located in Eastlake, Mentor, Mentor-on-the-Lake, and Painesville, with one each in Leroy Township and Wickliffe.

Originally, an additional structure, located on Waldmer Drive in Eastlake, had been included in the program application — however, Rogers noted, it has been removed from the list, as city officials and the property owner reached an agreement regarding the future renovation of the residence.

Moreover, he added, the demolition of six structures has been completed, the most recent of which was the Provo House on Euclid Avenue in Wickliffe.

"Two more buildings are slated for demolition shortly," Rogers said, "and the Land Bank continues its successful trend of leveraging available resources to obtain a significant return on investment, in efforts to assist the various communities throughout Lake County with the removal of blighted structures.

"Unique to this grant was the ability to help with the revitalization or redevelopment planned along Mentor Avenue with a for-profit entity, certainly a first during my tenure here."

For more information, visit www.lakecountylandbank.org/.