Franklin’s long-idle paper mill site is finally getting its cleanup crew. The city has secured a $1 million state grant to haul away roughly 5,000 tons of contaminated soil and install vapor-mitigation systems so the property at the edge of downtown can be reborn as new homes and businesses. City leaders say the move is a key trigger for the Reinvent Franklin 2040 master plan and could pave the way for fresh private investment and new jobs right in the middle of town.
What the grant covers
The state award, announced through Gov. Mike DeWine’s office, will pay for the soil removal and vapor controls at the former mill and is expected to support about 164 new jobs, as reported by WCPO. City Manager and Safety Director Jonathan Westendorf told the outlet the soil "is not hazardous" but still falls short of residential standards, and that tackling underground contamination is nonnegotiable before anyone can build housing there. Once the cleanup is complete, the site is slated for mixed-use residential and commercial buildings under the city’s downtown master plan.
Part of a statewide brownfield push
The grant comes through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, part of Gov. DeWine’s Ohio BUILDS initiative and one of several cleanup awards rolled out this week, according to a press release from Hometown Stations. Program rules reserve about $1 million per county for Fiscal Year 2026, as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code, a setup meant to give smaller communities a real shot at cleanup dollars. That county carve-out is part of what cleared the lane for Franklin’s application and eventual win.
Downtown redevelopment plan gets a lift
City officials and planners describe the remediation as the base layer that makes any serious mixed-use project possible on the site, pairing new housing with retail and more dining choices. The Reinvent Franklin 2040 master plan calls for a denser, more walkable downtown core and flags site cleanup as a priority for drawing both visitors and new residents. Streetscape upgrades and a proposed brewery project already in the pipeline could see a boost from more people living within an easy walk of Main Street.
Local businesses respond
Small business owners along Main Street are already eyeing the upside. Christine Mangroo, who owns Calypso Café and Bakery, told WCPO that "what does traffic mean for a small business? Oh, it means a whole hell of a lot," adding that growing visitor numbers have helped her shop. City leaders say the mill cleanup is the must-do step before they can realistically pitch the site to developers and lock in the kind of ground-floor retail that keeps a downtown buzzing.
Next steps
Officials have not laid out a firm excavation schedule yet, but environmental reviews, contractor selection, and permitting will follow the state award. The Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation, which serves as the county lead for demolition and remediation grants, helps coordinate project readiness and applications for Franklin County and is expected to be part of the process as the city moves toward contracts and construction as per COCIC. Residents can keep an eye on upcoming council and planning agendas for public meetings and status updates as the work ramps up.
