Grants to Help with Blighted Properties, Water Infrastructure

(photo provided by Indiana Landmarks)

Twenty-five rural Indiana communities will receive nearly $13 million in federal grants to improve water infrastructure and address blighted properties. The state distributes the Community Development Block Grant funding for projects through the Office of Rural and Community Affairs.

OCRA Executive Director Denny Spinner says the state must ensure communities have safe structures for water infrastructure.

“These grants will help towns and cities to make necessary, and sometimes critical, improvements to their water systems or remove blight property to help provide a safe and healthy community for its residents,” said Spinner.

Nine Indiana Communities received funding from the Blight Clearance Program, four received grants from the Stormwater Improvement Program and twelve other communities were awarded funding from the Wastewater/Drinking Water Program.

Blight Clearance Program grants:

• Cannelton – $500,000 to eliminate hazardous environmental conditions at the former Can-Clay Corporation property. 
• Francisco – $75,000 for the demolition and clearance of the abandoned, deteriorated building known as the old “IOOF” building located at 84 S.R. 64 in Francisco. 
• Knox – $137,674 to demolish the former Moose Lodge building located in the downtown district of Knox. 
• Linton – $324,450 to clear the abandoned Eagles Building located at 60 E. Vincennes St. in Linton. 
• Miami County – $333,070 to eliminate a blighted, unsafe structure that is known to have environmental issues with asbestos, a history of vandalism and a loss of structural integrity. 
• Patoka – $100,000 for the demolition of the Old Patoka School, located at 200 S. Main St. within the Town of Patoka, White River Township. 
• Sharpsville – $255,100 to eliminate a blighted structure, known as the Cheese Factory. 
• Silver Lake – $350,000 to tear down the Lake Township School, which is commonly referred to as the Silver Lake Elementary School.  
• Union City – $500,000 for the complete demolition of four commercial buildings with full basements and one former gas station on a concrete slab with its paved lot. 

 Stormwater Improvement Program grants:  

• Clinton – $441,387 to rehabilitate failing drainage systems and reduce flooding. 
• Fountain City – $600,000 for improvements to the town’s storm water system. 
• Oolitic – $600,000 to reduce flooding.
• Walton – $509,155 to improve stormwater flow throughout the community by reducing field run-off through the installation of new 12”, 15” and 18” storm sewer pipes. 

Wastewater/Drinking Water Program grants: 

• Cambridge City– $700,000 to make necessary improvements to the water distribution system.
• Dale – $700,000 to upgrade and improve the wastewater collection system. 
• Dillsboro– $700,000 to upgrade the town’s drinking water system.
• Edinburgh– $700,000 to construct a new dual-media water treatment plant. 
• Elizabethtown– $700,000 to improve the town’s wastewater infrastructure. 
• Greencastle – $700,000 to rehabilitate an at-risk trunk line, which will include the installation of new fire hydrants and new valves that will increase fire protection and system isolation capabilities.
• Hazleton– $700,000 to provide upgrades and improvements to the wastewater system.
• Kingman– $700,000 for wastewater infrastructure rehabilitation. 
• Kingsford Heights– $700,000 to replace a water main, 24 hydrants, and 550 water meters. The project also includes water filter tank improvements and water treatment plant rehabilitation.
• Patriot – $487,011 to replace one lift station, rehabilitate one lift station and remove one lift station. 
• Randolph County – $600,000 for water infrastructure improvements in and around the towns of Modoc and Losantville. 
• Trafalgar – $700,000 for wastewater improvements.