Photos Provided The former Graysville school will be assessed for future demolition using state funding.

The former Woodsfield High School will be demolished, thanks to the grant funding.

WOODSFIELD — The Monroe County Land Bank announced the award of $797,222 in grant funding from Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Development through the Brownfield Remediation Program.

This funding will support the cleanup and redevelopment of two sites in Monroe County.

The land bank will utilize $600,000 to remediate and demolish the former Woodsfield High School, addressing long-standing blight and creating new opportunities for the site’s future use. An additional $197,222 will fund a Phase II environmental assessment of the former Graysville School. Upon completing this assessment, the land bank plans to seek further funding from the state to finalize the remediation and demolition of the property.

“On behalf of the Monroe County Land Bank board, I want to extend our thanks to Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and the Ohio Department of Development for their continued support of our mission,” said Taylor Abbott, president of the Monroe County Land Bank. “We also want to express our thanks to our partners at Sunday Creek Horizons for their exceptional work in helping us prepare and submit a successful application. This funding represents another critical step in our continued efforts to clean up our county. We look forward to the work that lies ahead in 2025.”

Since November, the Monroe County Land Bank has been awarded nearly $1.3 million in state funding for demolition and remediation projects across the county.

Over the past two years, more than $11 million in funding has been secured, resulting in the cleanup of over 40 properties. Another 35-40 properties are slated for remediation and demolition in 2025.