Construction continues Monday on the new Whirlpool manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Tenn.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. - The U.S. Economic Development Administration has approved a $125,000 grant to fund studies and planning for the future of the current Whirlpool site.

Both the city and Bradley County must match the grant. The city's half of the match, $62,500, is in the budget to be voted on today, City Manager Janice Casteel said.

"This will be from the sales tax," she said.

County Planner Corey Divel said the county's half remains in the budget for fiscal 2011-12, as well.

The Southside Redevelopment Committee, formed by Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland and the City Council, met Monday. The task is to focus on planning for redevelopment of the multiblock area once Whirlpool moves to its new plant on Benton Pike.

Rowland said the task force is looking for mixed uses for Whirlpool's former site.

The city also had applied to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a National Brownfields Program grant, too. Brownfields are vacant, former industrial or commercial areas that can be cleaned and reused.

The EPA grant request was turned down this year, City Finance Director Michael Keith said Monday, but Cleveland is being encouraged by the EPA to reapply.

"I think we will reapply," Keith said. "That's been our policy."

An EPA letter from David Loyd, director of the office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization, noted the program received more than 700 applications this year but could grant only 200.

Recent state legislation also allows the creation of economic development zones for brownfields to take advantage of any future grants for redevelopment.

Contact Randall Higgins at rhiggins@timesfreepress.com or 423-314-1029.