Environmental Remediation Planned for Union Street Property
Vol. III, No. 120 - A county grant will be used to investigate an abandoned industrial site.
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On Monday, City Council’s Community Partnerships Committee will meet to make a recommendation for moving forward with an important project to clean up and restore the property at 1375 S. Union Street. Thanks to a major grant from the Ohio Department of Development, secured by the Miami County Land Reutilization Corporation, this project is seen as a partnership that can help transform an underused site into a potential new asset for the community.
In October 2024, the Miami County Land Reutilization Corporation was awarded $245,200 from the Brownfield Remediation Program, setting the stage for changes on Union Street. The focus of the project is on assessing the property just north of Chevrolet of Troy. For years, this land has been idle, and after a Phase I environmental review raised concerns, the current owner, JB Properties of Troy LLC, asked for help.
Brownfield remediation is not a quick or simple job—it takes patient work, technical know-how, and money. The process starts with a thorough evaluation, sometimes called a Phase II assessment, that includes testing soil, groundwater, and soil vapors. The goal is to find out exactly what kinds of contamination, if any, might be present on the land. Only when the risks are clearly understood can the right cleanup be planned.
To make sure this effort is handled with care, the City of Troy has selected Burgess & Niple, an environmental consulting firm from Columbus to oversee all the sampling, tests, and the Voluntary Action Program’s Phases I and II reports. The contract with Burgess & Niple has a maximum price of $237,200—every dollar of which is covered by the grant. The remaining $4,000 in the grant will help cover the City’s administrative costs for managing the project.
The structure of the funding is straightforward. The City pays Burgess & Niple for each phase of work as it’s completed. After payment is made, the City submits those invoices to the County, which reimburses the full amount. This cycle means Troy is not left with any out-of-pocket expenses for the assessment.
One wrinkle in the process was discovered after the professional services agreement was awarded: the agreement needed formal approval from the City Council, something initially overlooked due to a misunderstanding about the requirements for grants coming through the County. Once the City’s Director of Law clarified this need, Council approval was requested, along with a move to pass the necessary legislation on an emergency basis to avoid delays.
The ultimate goal of the project is to make 1375 S. Union Street safe, clean, and ready for new uses. Right now, the property sits as a reminder of an industrial past, but with the completion of these environmental assessments and any necessary remediation, the land will be cleared for redevelopment. That means in the near future, what was once a source of concern can become an opportunity for growth and renewal.
This relatively small project captures what can happen when policy, resources, and community needs come together at both the state and local levels of government. With the support of state funding and Miami County, the City of Troy is turning a challenge into a real opportunity. The resolution of the brownfield site on Union Street not only helps the immediate neighborhood but also sets an example for how old problems can find new solutions.
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