Land bank exploring demolition funding for glove factory
COSHOCTON − The Coshocton County Land Reutilization Corporation, commonly known as the land bank, is exploring funding options for remediation and demolition of the former Custom Glove Factory
The land bank acquired the property at 421 S. Fifth St. last April. The maker of industrial gloves has been defunct for many years.
Tiffany Swigert, a voting member of the land bank and director of the Coshocton Port Authority, announced at the last land bank meeting that they didn't receive grant funding from Round 3 of the Brownfield Remediation Program of the Ohio Department of Development. The program is for cleaning up toxic chemicals at industrial, commercial and institutional sites across Ohio along with related demolition.
"We were really helpful ODOD was going to award us as the ownership was with land bank already and we did some pretty heavy advocating for the building too," Swigert said. "But, we knew there were way more applications than they had money for."
However, Swigert said she was told to be prepared for a possible fourth round of funding based on any leftover money from projects approved this round. She said they would be looking into other possible funding sources as well. Swigert is also advocating for the project with state officials.
"We'll definitely watch for that," Swigert said of a possible round four of funding. "In the meantime, we're working on what's next. We know we can't leave the site the way it is."
An environmental review has been completed by BJAAM Environmental of Canal Fulton and the total project is estimated at $1.13 million. This includes $45,000 of administration and in-kind matches from the land bank.
The end goal is to turn over the property to a new owner who would develop the land for new use. An end user has not be identified yet. Swigert said creating new residential housing on the site could be possible.
The land bank is continuing with a demolition project through another Ohio Department of Development program. It received a $500,000 grant from the Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program. After demolition and remediation, properties would then be ready for sale for development of new housing or businesses.
The land bank awarded the projects at its December meeting and Swigert said contractors should start work before the end of the month, if weather permits.
Elite Bridge Services of Kimbolton won the demolition of the former Pike Township Building at 18180 County Road 80 in Frazeysburg for $36,928.70. William Albert Excavating will be razing a former retail building at 46511 County Road 495 for $24,698 and a vacant home at 32099 U.S. 36 in Walhonding for $15,430.
The other structures will be torn down by Vic Allen Construction. They include vacant houses at 643 Poplar St. for $19,700, 647 Poplar St. for $20,300 and 800 South Second St. for $17,600; three vacant and blighted buildings at 17843 Ohio 60 in Dresden for $34,000 and a vacant and blighted house at 32337 U.S. 36 in Walhonding for $17,000.
The next land bank meeting will be at 1 p.m. Feb. 6 in the office of the Coshocton County Commissioners.
Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Land bank exploring demolition funding for former glove factory
