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MARIETTA — The Ohio Department of Development and Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday more than $33.2 million in grants has been awarded for demolition projects, including properties in Washington County.

Washington County is receiving $500,000 through the Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization program to demolish 17 properties across the county, according to an Ohio Governor’s Office media release.

The county is receiving the funds for 17 properties located in Belpre, Marietta, New Matamoras, Waterford and Whipple, according to the website.

These properties are 813, Carlisle Ave., Belpre; 765 Buckeye Ave., Marietta; 817 Quarry St., Marietta; 143 Franklin St., Marietta; 1139 Cisler Dr., Marietta; 767 Buckeye Ave., Marietta; 122 Elmwood Ave., Marietta; 760 Buckeye Ave., Marietta; 131 Ward St., Marietta; 127 Ward St., Marietta; 125 Ward St., Marietta; 823 Grandview Ave., New Matamoras; 821 Grandview Ave., New Matamoras; 209 Front St., New Matamoras; 300 Klinger Rd., Waterford; 451 Steven Rd., Waterford; and 5425 Caywood Rd., Whipple.

These sites are pending final eligibility determination, according to the website.

The Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program, according to the website, provides grants for the demolition of blighted, vacant or abandoned commercial and residential buildings and the renovation of surrounding property on sites that are not brownfields. A total of $33.2 million was awarded to demolish 1,091 vacant, dilapidated buildings in 65 counties and is the final award for the program for this biennium.

Southeastern Ohio Port Authority Executive Director Jesse Roush said his agency applied for the grant and they asked for the funds for the demolition of some properties and the acquisition of others.

He said some of the funds would be used “to buy some properties for residential revitalization.”

The port authority is working with the department of development to determine if the properties on the list are eligible to be demolished or purchased, according to Roush, and this process will take several weeks.

“Some of those are much more likely to happen than others,” Roush said.

He said some of the properties on the list have documented blight issues and “others are in the neighborhood or are adjacent to property we already own.”

The port authority wants to use the properties it acquires to develop a larger residential revitalization program, Roush said.

The program is a partnership with the city of Marietta to improve and increase “attainable housing” in Marietta, Roush said, and as part of the program the port authority is looking to create “practical houses” that are attainable by the people who already live in the neighborhoods in which the properties are located.

He said since the grant application was submitted, the port authority has added more properties to the list so 24 or 25 properties could be eligible for the funds.

Roush expects after the first of the year the port authority should know which properties are eligible for the fund and then they can start the work.

He said he feels great about being awarded the funds.

“We’re happy to get to work,” Roush said.

More information about the port authority and the residential revitalization program can be found at seohioport.com.

Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com