Politics & Government

Kent Asks State for $1.5 Million to Finish RB&W Site Cleanup

City applies for Clean Ohio Funds that, if awarded, would lead to transfer of the property into city ownership for $1

Kent is asking the state for $1.5 million to finish the cleanup of the former RB&W property at 800 Mogadore Road.

The city has applied for a Clean Ohio Fund Brownfield Revitalization grant totaling $1,498,310 to address what is believed to be the cause of and now surface water at the 17.7-acre property.

The bulk of the grant, as much as $925,000, will pay to covering about 2 acres at the southern end of the site.

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The application, posted Monday at the , will be on file for 45 days to receive public comment and follows . If the grant is awarded, receipt of the money will trigger a transfer of the property from owner Thomas & Betts Corp., of Memphis, TN, to the city for $1.

After the public comment period, a public meeting will be held at the library on Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. to review the application and any comments received.

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In the application, the city explains its goal for the property: to redevelop it as part of the . According to the application, the grant money will help complete the site cleanup and ready the property for inclusion in the proposed technology park.

By preparing the former RB&W property for redevelopment, the land "will provide another integral piece of Kent's overall revitalization stratgey in the next five years," the application states.

The plan, according to the city's application, is to use the property to "try and continue job creation efforts" with and the Kent Regional Business Alliance.

The Clean Ohio Fund application earned the support of Kent State President Lester Lefton, who submitted a letter as part of the application supporting the plan.

In the letter, Lefton points to the university's role in establishing several technology start-up firms in the Kent area including Kent Displays, Crystal Diagnostics and AlphaMicron, which is located in the university-owned Centennial Research Park — all efforts that were done in conjunction with the city and the KRBA.

"Since Centennial Research Park is currently operating at full capacity, we are encouraged about the prospect of adding another 17-plus-acre site for future expansion of entrepreneurial initiatives," Lefton wrote. "We strongly support the addition of this important parcel of land to the (technology park) effort and enhancing the overall connection with downtown Kent, our campus and the greater (Northeast) Ohio region."


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