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Last updated on Monday, June 5, 2017
(BEDFORD) - Lawrence County has been awarded $230,000 for the clearance and demolition of the old Huron School building.
The project's purpose is to alleviate ongoing safety concerns and return the eyesore to green space.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch announced Thursday nearly $11 million in federal funding was awarded to 23 rural Hoosier communities across five programs. The Huron project is part of the Blight Clearance initiative, which encourages Indiana communities with blighted properties to focus on long-term development and revitalization through improving quality of place, generating jobs, and spurring economic revitalization.
Lawrence County's contribution to the project is estimated at $27,500, which will be drawn from the county's River Boat Fund.
Projects eligible to receive funding via BCP are deteriorated or abandoned downtown buildings or vacant and unusable industrial sites. The grant programs are overseen by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.
Huron High School was built in 1924 at a cost of $35,000. Additions were made over the years, but the structure was consumed by fire in 1959. It was rebuilt using insurance money and donations and utilized as a high school until 1963 when students were transported to Mitchell High School. It remained an elementary school for many years thereafter. A total of 504 pupils graduated from Huron High School.
County officials will now seek bids for the project and hope to begin work in early 2018.
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