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Journal-News.com

City adds sites to its cleanup list

HAMILTON — Environmental assessments of the former Hamilton Die Cast Inc. foundry are under way as part of the city's attempt to reel in state funds needed to prepare the site for redevelopment.

By mid-August, city economic development officials hope to have Hamilton's name in the hat for a Clean Ohio Assistance grant worth up to $750,000 to help pay for the cleanup of the former foundry on East Avenue.

The city has been working with Frank Pfirman, president of Matandy Steel, for the potential redevelopment of the five-acre site.

"We've estimated very conservatively, and at a bare minimum we're looking at an investment of $1.5 million with 10 to 15 jobs," said Hamilton Economic Development Specialist Melissa Johnson-Gabbard. "If that's the conservative side, we're in a very good position."

Earlier this year, the city entered into an agreement with Crown Industries Inc. to acquire the former foundry, contingent upon the environmental surveys.

A public meeting on the findings from the environmental assessments is expected to be held in early August, prior to Hamilton's submittal of the grant application to the Ohio Department of Development.

Meanwhile, city officials are beginning to consider other sites for the next round of Clean Ohio Revitalization grant dollars.

Hamilton Mayor Don Ryan said he would like to see the former Estate Stove site, located next to the Die Cast foundry on East Avenue, considered for the cleanup grant application.

"Then we could clean up that whole East Avenue area," he said, adding that Hamilton has had significant success with such grants; it already has two state-backed revitalization projects underway.

In December the city landed a $3 million CORF grant to help pay for the cleanup of the former Mercy Hospital site in German Village. Meanwhile, the more visible construction part forges ahead on the redevelopment of the former Mosler Inc. site on Ohio 4 into a retail complex that includes a Kroger store.

"These projects seem to work very well for the city," Ryan said. "The Mosler site is opening up that whole (Ohio 4) area. There are new businesses knocking on our door every day that want to come in on that site with Kroger.

"That's exactly what we're looking for with this site — to come in with those (grant) dollars and clean up the neighborhood and bring in some new manufacturing jobs," he said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2186 or lbernard@coxohio.com.