$6 million grant awarded to revitalize former KBI plant

SANDUSKY – The Ohio Department of Development has awarded 2509 Hayes LLC, the Erie County Economic Development Corporation and the Erie County Port Authority a $6,017,444 grant for the remediation of the former KBI plant.

The grant money comes from the Department of Development’s Brownfield Remediation Program, which is an initiative to revitalize industrial sites across Ohio that are abandoned, idled, or underutilized.

To receive the funding, the site’s owners, 2509 Hayes LLC, partnered with the Erie County Port Authority, to complete a the application process that required input and support from various stakeholders and a vision for future economic activity. The Erie County Port Authority is administrated by the Erie County Economic Development Corporation.

“Perkins Township is very appreciative of the recent announcement by Governor DeWine that 2509 Hayes Avenue has been awarded a brownfield grant that will
make this large, fully-serviced industrial property more attractive for redevelopment,” Perkins Township Administrator Gary Boyle said in a statement. “Such redevelopment will return this property to productive use and will generate employment opportunities for our residents and residents of neighboring communities.”

The former General Motors plant has been vacant since 2017.

Owner Stu Mills stated, “We want to thank the State of Ohio, Erie County Port Authority, Biggins, Lacy, Shapiro & Company LLC, and Perkins Township for their continued support of our investment in the redevelopment of this key site for the community.”