Fallsnewspress.com - City earns Clean Ohio funds for new Portage Trail project

Special to Record Publishing Co. Cuyahoga Falls will use $155,250 in Clean Ohio funds for an environmental study of this condemned property eyed for demolition and redevelopment at 1110-1130 Portage Trail.

by Marc Kovac
and Steve Wiandt

Capital Bureau Chief
and News-Press Reporter

Columbus -- City officials are hoping to have a condemned property redeveloped, after the state Controlling Board released $155,250 for environmental assessments.

The Clean Ohio funds will be used for a second-phase study of the site located at 1110-1130 Portage Trail, which is nearly a mile from the site of the proposed Portage Crossing development.

The assessment will include about 30 soil borings, groundwater monitoring wells and other work.

The city has negotiated to purchase the property from Fifth Third Bank, for use as "a corridor linking the redevelopment activities in the downtown entertainment and shopping districts with the State Road corridor redevelopments," according to documents. "The project property is part of the city's master plan to redevelop the Portage Trail corridor into mixed-use developments with new commercial, retail and residential."

"This property has been vacant and an eyesore for too long," said Mayor Don L. Robart. "The utilization of state funds will make a redevelopment effort possible."

The building, which includes several additions, located between 11th and 12th Streets on Portage Trail, was condemned after years of neglect, said Development Director Susan Truby. When no one bid on the property during an auction last year, Truby said, the city stepped in to purchase and demolish the building with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds.

To safely demolish the buildings, an environmental assessment of the buildings, soil and groundwater will be conducted to determine if any contamination exists, she said.

The property was the site of a number of businesses through the years, Truby said, including auto repair, paint shop, carpentry, screen printing and a dairy at one time.

"We are doing our due diligence before taking the buildings down," she said. Upon demolition, the city plans to market the site for redevelopment.

"This is an ideal half-acre site for developers desiring a smaller parcel," Truby said. "Its close proximity to the new Portage Crossing Marketplace makes it a very desirable location."

Assessment work at the site will begin this fall, she said, followed by demolition.

E-mail: swiandt@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3915