Brook Park gets $10 million boost to clean up former Ford site

The state has awarded Brook Park $10 million to clean up and redevelop a 200-acre vacant former Ford Motor Company property that eventually will accommodate the Forward Innovation Center.

“There were cheers throughout City Hall Friday afternoon (June 17),” Mayor Ed Orcutt told cleveland.com. “I couldn’t be more excited for transitioning the property into the Forward Innovation Center. This grant was the result of excellent teamwork.”

Economic Development Incentives Encourage Placemaking Economic Development

The International Economic Development Council has defined placemaking as “the practice of enhancing a community’s assets to improve its overall attractiveness and livability.” Placemaking is defined as large-scale projects like the creation of new public or revitalized public spaces, alternative transportation infrastructure, pop-up retail, housing, or Downtown beautification projects.  Bike trails, public beer gardens, parks, and other public spaces often mix uses and are attractive to residents and visitors alike. However, successful placemaking strategies require the use of multiple tools as well as an overall improvement in the quality of life available to area residents and visitors.

Municipal Bridge Replacement Program Applications Open

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) administers Ohio’s Municipal Bridge Program. In April, the state announced a large increase in the annual funding for this program, meaning that the program should have significantly more funding available for the next five years. This program allocates up to $2 million of federal funding per project to certain eligible entities (including municipalities, metroparks and regional transit authorities) seeking to replace, repair or demolish eligible bridges.

Erie County Port Authority & Economic Development Corporation Announce $6 Million Towards the Redevelopment of Former KBI Building

Sandusky, Perkins Twp – 2509 Hayes LLC. in partnership with the Erie County Economic Development Corporation & the Erie County Port Authority have been awarded a 6,017,444-million-dollar grant from the Ohio Department of Development for the remediation of 2509 Hayes Ave – the large industrial site in Perkins Township known locally as the former KBI site.