Muskingum County Secures $450K for Putnam Point Cleanup

ZANESVILLE, OH – Muskingum County has received $450,000 to transform a former gas station, commonly referred to as Putnam Point.

The funding will be used to remove underground storage tanks, demolish old buildings and clean up contamination at the site. This grant is part of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s recent announcement of nearly $50 million in funding for Brownfield remediation across the state. In total, $16.2 million will go toward cleaning up 52 hazardous sites in Ohio, including Putnam Point.

“It was originally a few different gas stations, most recently Arnolds. Over the past year, the Muskingum County Community Foundation purchased the property in conjunction with the Straker Foundation. We’re just playing our part and coming in, going to demolish the structure, take the tanks out, and then try to get some redevelopment going,” Executive Director for the Muskingum County Land Bank Andy Roberts said.

Though plans aren’t finalized, the site is expected to be redeveloped into a mixed-use space featuring both commercial and residential units. Final details are yet to be confirmed.

“We don’t know exactly, and that’s what we need to figure out as we’re remediating it to make sure that we do it to the right specifications. There’s a lot of movement in that Putnam area with different projects going on. We’re just trying to secure this property, very visible at the end of the 6th Street bridge. It’s kind of the entrance into Putnam, ” Roberts said.

Before demolition can begin, asbestos removal is currently out for bid. Once the bids are returned, officials will move forward with issuing the demolition order.