Office of Environment & Sustainability

MSD’s Lick Run Greenway project, part of the Lower Mill Creek Partial Remedy, will eliminate nearly 500 million gallons of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) annually into the Mill Creek. The Lick Run watershed covers about 2,900 acres and includes South Fairmount and portions of East Price Hill, West Price Hill and Westwood. This project collects stormwater and funnels it directly to the Mill Creek through a mile-long urban stream. The project included removal of contaminated soils and green redeveloping solutions for underutilized properties.  The Greenway included a headwaters, mile-long, man-made stream, and pond in the neighborhood of South Fairmount. The Lick Run project will improve water quality and provide opportunities for neighborhood revitalization. The project was completed in 2021.

The former Cast Fab site located at 3040 Forrer Street in Oakley comprises 28-acres. Environmental development work at this site received an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Voluntary Action Program (VAP) No Further Action (NFA) status in 2020.  Under the development name Graphite Oakley it is being redeveloped for multi-family residential and various commercial uses.  The redevelopment project also includes the extension of public utilities and a roadway.

The former Rock-Tenn site located at 3301 Madison Road in Oakley comprises 5-acres.  Environmental development work at this site received an Ohio EPA VAP NFA status in 2020.  The redeveloped site is currently operated by the Mad Tree Brewing Company. 

An underutilized approximately 3-acre parking lot adjacent to the Purple People Bridge at 601 East Pete Rose Way was found to have lead impacted foundry sand deposited throughout much of the site.  Environmental development work in 2019 to 2020 at this site treated and removed approximately 23,000 cubic yards of this material.  The site is currently being redeveloped with the Artistry, a seven-story residential and commercial mixed-use facility, set to open in 2021. 

A former railroad repair yard (Conrail Railroad Pendleton Yard Site) was located along 2927 through 3121 Walworth Avenue in East End/Columbia-Tusculum on approximately 6-acres.  Approximately 150,000 cubic yards of impacted soil was removed from this site among other remedial actions.  Environmental development work at this site received an Ohio EPA VAP NFA status in 2019.  Under the development name Walworth Junction it is being redeveloped with approximately 39 luxury single-family dwellings and was the site of HOMOARAMA 2020.

This site occupies approximately 4.5 acres situated south of Herron Avenue, north of Dreman Avenue on the west side of the West Fork Mill Creek channel in South Cumminsville. The site was formerly the location of Superfund actions associated with the removal of buried drums of various hazardous waste materials in 2004 by USEPA. A Superfund response summary can be found HERE. The site then sat vacant for approximately 10 years, when National Church Residences began evaluating the property for redevelopment for a single multi-story residential building for short-term housing.  Significant additional assessment was performed at the property from 2015-2017. An Ohio EPA VAP NFA letter (VAP Light) and Soil Management Plan was prepared in 2018.  Redevelopment of the site was completed in 2020.

The former Kenner Products manufacturing facility at 2800 Robertson Road in Oakley comprises approximately 30-acres.  Environmental development work at this site has identified impacts to site media.   A Risk Management Plan has been prepared to address identified and potentially unidentified impacts on site.  Under the development name Three Oaks/Oakley Yard it is being redeveloped in phases with single-family dwellings, multi-family residential buildings, and senior living. The redevelopment will be complimented with infrastructure improvements, new utilities, and extensions of existing residential streets, as well as a public park.

The City of Cincinnati received a $3M Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund (CORF) grant for the MetroWest Commerce Park to assist with the environmental remediation and building demolition costs. The project was ranked number 1 by the Clean Ohio Council out of 17 projects submitted state-wide. The property is approximately 18 acres in size and is located in Lower Price Hill, southwest of the intersection of Gest and Evans Streets. It includes portions of the former Queen City Barrel property. This site received an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Voluntary Action Program (VAP) Covenant Not to Sue (CNS) in 2014. Nehemiah Manufacturing's $12 million, 172,000-square-foot manufacturing facility started operations in the MetroWest Commerce Park in 2018.

The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority (The Port) was awarded a $750,000 Clean Ohio Assistance Fund (COAF) grant from the State of Ohio for the American Can property located at 4101 Spring Grove Ave in Northside (now referred to as Factory Square). Remediation of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) flooring contamination was completed. This site received an Ohio EPA VAP CNS in 2012. The 5-story structure now boasts 90+ apartments and 30,000 square feet of commercial space. The former Myron Johnson Lumber Company was added to the Factory Square project and includes greenspace, office, retail, and townhouses surrounding the American Can building.

The Queensgate South development site (formally known as the Deutch and Mose Cohen scrap yards) involved the clean-up of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The 17 acre-site is bordered to the west by Mehring Way, to the north by Freeman Avenue, to the east by Lynn Street, and to the south by Gest Street. Environmental remediation costs were funded by the State of Ohio under a $3M Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant awarded to the City of Cincinnati. This site received an Ohio EPA VAP CNS in 2011.

The City received an Ohio EPA VAP CNS in 2008 for the Center Hill Commerce Park (otherwise known as the Center Hill Landfill), located on the corner of Center Hill Road and Este Avenue. Development plans for this approximately 60-acre property are ongoing.

The City received a $3 million Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant application in January 2011 for the 55-acre Oakley North Redevelopment project, located off Madison Road and bounded by Forrer Street, Marburg Avenue, and Disney Street. This property was used for metals and machine manufacturing around 1917 by Intermec Technologies Corporation and the former Kirk & Blum Manufacturing Company. This site received an Ohio EPA VAP CNS in 2014.  It has since been developed with department stores and multi-family residential among others. 

The City received a $300,000 Clean Ohio Assistance Fund (COAF) grant for the environmental work at the 16-acre Cincinnati Milicron Plant 5 property in Oakley.  The facility used to be owned by Kirk & Blum, Intermec, and Milacron, who manufactured metals and machine parts since 1917. This site received an Ohio EPA VAP CNS in 2014.  It has since been developed with a theater, hotel, and restaurant among others. 

The City of Cincinnati was awarded a $282,228 Clean Ohio Assistance Fund (COAF) grant for Phase II environmental assessment work for the Providence North (Samuel Adams Brewing Company) project in the West End. In May 2010 the City was awarded a $3 million Clean Ohio grant for soil and groundwater remediation needed to ready this site for Sam Adams’ expansion. A smaller portion of the grant was used for acquisition, asbestos abatement, and building demolition. This site received an Ohio EPA VAP CNS in 2016.  Samuel Adams Brewing Company began an additional multimillion-dollar expansion of the facility in 2020.   

In May 2010 Hamilton County and the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority were awarded a $3 million Clean Ohio grant for the remediation and demolition at the former 17-acre Kahn’s/Sara Lee site located in Camp Washington. The City of Cincinnati played a critical role in moving this project forward through its commitment to fund $400,000 worth of demolition costs. This site received an Ohio EPA VAP CNS in 2013. In 2017 Rhinegeist Brewery redeveloped the approximately southern half of the site with a commercial warehouse.  Powell Valves is expected to redevelop and then move their existing manufacturing operations to the northern part of the site beginning in 2021.

On November 20, 2009 the Clean Ohio Council awarded the City of Cincinnati a $3 million Clean Ohio Revitalization (CORF) grant to cover costs for soil and groundwater remediation and demolition activities. The 29-acre property was formerly used by NuTone and is located at the corner of Madison and Red Bank Roads in Madisonville. This site received an Ohio EPA VAP CNS in 2015. The site has been redeveloped in phases and has been operated primarily by Medpace.  Founded in 1992, Medpace is a contract research organization that provides research and drug development support to pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

The old Hudepohl Brewery, located at 801 W. Sixth Street in Queensgate, has been used for manufacturing purposed (mostly as a brewery, but also as an ice cream factory during Prohibition) for approximately 150 years. The property has remained generally vacant since 1987. The City of Cincinnati was awarded a $100,400 Clean Ohio Assistance Fund (COAF) grant, which was used to conduct a Phase II environmental assessment. A U.S. EPA removal action was initiated in 2017 and completed in 2018. This cleanup removed a large outdoor asbestos containing material debris pile and asbestos debris in the Old Boiler House at the site.

The Lunkenheimer facility located at 1519 Tremont Street in South Fairmont had been used as a foundry and valve manufacturing facility. Several companies operated at the location from 1908 until 2017 when the property was abandoned. The abandoned site contained lead and arsenic foundry sand waste piles, PCB labeled transformers, corrosive and ignitable laboratory wastes, and more than 600-drums and 125-containers, many in poor condition. In 2017 the Cincinnati Fire Department requested U.S. EPA’s assistance. The U.S. EPA conducted a Site Removal Investigation in 2017. A Time Critical Removal Action was initiated in 2018 and was completed in 2019.

The property had previously been used as a foundry (Union Iron & Steel Company, Cincinnati Die Cast) until 2001 and then used as a scrap facility from 2006-2007. A US EPA time-critical removal action was completed on January 19, 2010 and satisfied the Unilateral Administrative Order and rendered the site eligible for the VAP. The site received an Ohio EPA VAP CNS in 2015.