Springfield Township and the City of Cincinnati have toiled for years to tackle the blight of an old chemical site that marred their landscape. That effort has finally paid off with The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority taking over the 5.75-acre property at 1265 Section Road. Since 2017, the site of former Quantum Chemical operations, which shut down in the 1990s, had been a sore spot in the community with its abandoned buildings and overgrown weeds.
According to a recent announcement by Springfield Township, the property considered a Brownfield was subject to almost a decade of collaboration among local authorities to transfer ownership to The Port. The achievement reportedly came about through the determination to cut through the red tape slowly and gather the necessary multi-jurisdictional support. Assistant Administrator Kathleen Kennedy applauded the joint effort, acknowledging the years of work it took, as detailed in Springfield Township's statement, which said "Coordinating the efforts of the Township, the City of Cincinnati’s Law Department, the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, and The Port was no small task, but with a great team assembled we were able to get the property in the right hands."
Not only is the site an eyesore for Edgemont residents but it can also be seen from I-75, serving as an unwelcome gateway marker. The Port’s President and CEO, Laura N. Brunner, expressed determination to turn the site around, highlighting that with the acquisition finally complete, the next steps are clear: clean up and prepare for redevelopment. "Now, with the multi-jurisdictional support we have, the real work begins to clean up, remediate, and demolish the properties in preparation for redevelopment," Brunner asserted, in a sentiment echoed in the same Springfield Township's announcement.
Springfield Township Trustee Joseph Honerlaw also expressed optimism about the project, outlining that having The Port in charge means better prospects for the site and, by extension, the community. "Getting the property in the hands of the Port means that the site has a bright future – eliminating an eyesore from the area and bringing new life, jobs to the community, and economic development to the Township," Honerlaw told Springfield Township. With an eye on obtaining various state and federal funds, the redevelopment ambitions are set to transform an area long neglected and forgotten potentially.
