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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
July 17, 2026




*MEDIA CONTACTS:
*Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957
Jill Del Greco: 614-644-0957






Governor DeWine Awards $11.9 Million to Support Demolition Projects in 73 Counties

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik today announced $11.9 million in grants to help 73 counties prepare sites for redevelopment by demolishing existing unsafe, blighted buildings. 

The funding comes from the latest round of the Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program [ [link removed] ]. 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. 

"Every community deserves places that inspire pride and create opportunity," said Governor DeWine. "By helping remove long-vacant, unsafe buildings, we're giving local leaders the chance to reimagine these properties in ways that strengthen neighborhoods, attract investment, and improve quality of life for the people who call Ohio home." 

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Map of counties receiving demolition funding [ [link removed] ]
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*DETAILS: July 2026 Demolition and Site Revitalization Awards* [ [link removed] ]


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Approximately $230,000 in grants was reserved for each of Ohio’s 88 counties. To date, the program has invested more than $325 million to support nearly 6,700 demolition projects across every county in the state. 

“In Ohio, every building has a story. When those stories come to an end, those properties still have one final purpose: making way for something better,” said Director Mihalik. “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."

Examples of newly funded projects include: 


* *Hocking County:* A vacant, deteriorated former nursing home in Laurelville will be demolished, creating new possibilities for the site. Local leaders are considering a variety of future uses, including a community greenspace or pocket park with overflow parking, a flexible event space, a native pollinator meadow, and other economic development opportunities.  

* *Muskingum County:* The former Zanesville water works site, built in 1925 and in use until the new city water treatment system came online in 2009, will be demolished to make way for the construction of additional water treatment and maintenance facilities on the property.   

* *Ottawa County:* A former Port Clinton school building that has sat vacant for nearly 50 years will be demolished, creating temporary green space while Erie Township evaluates long-term redevelopment options. Among the possibilities is a helipad for medical helicopters, which would improve emergency response in an area without nearby medical services. 

The Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program is part of Governor DeWine’s Ohio BUILDS Initiative, which focuses on supporting targeted solutions that impact quality of life, such as water infrastructure improvements, broadband expansion, brownfield redevelopment, the demolition of blighted buildings, and more. 

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This email was sent to [email protected] using Granicus Communications Cloud on behalf of: Governor DeWine Communications · Riffe Center, 30th Floor, 77 South High Street · Columbus, OH 43215-6117 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]

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