More than $2.3 million in state loan and grant funding will help Adams Economic Alliance clean up the former CM Metals Gettysburg Foundry site located in Cumberland Township’s Greenmount Growth Area. Aerial photo by Mark Clowney for the County of Adams.
State money coming through the Alliance’s Adams County Industrial Development Authority
GETTYSBURG, PA (August 9, 2024) – The Adams County Industrial Development Authority (ACIDA) received a $1.435 million loan and $956,666 grant from the Commonwealth’s Business in Our Sites (BOS) program in late July, to redevelop the former Gettysburg Foundry brownfield site.
“This award will assist us in our efforts to stimulate economic development in our region by unlocking the site’s redevelopment potential,” ACIDA President Robin Fitzpatrick said. “We’re especially thankful to State Rep. Dan Moul (R-91), Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) and the Adams County Board of Commissioners who aggressively advocated for our funding request.”
The authority will use the funds to revitalize the former foundry by advancing environmental investigation and subsequent remediation, demolition of remaining structures, site boundary surveying, site clearing and grading, and installation of necessary utilities. These activities will prepare the 48-acre site for redevelopment, returning it to productive economic use.
“I commend the Alliance for its efforts to improve a property that will rejuvenate an area of Adams County that has been identified as a targeted growth area,” Rep. Moul said. “I’m proud to support this project and the ACIDA.”
The Foundry’s historic usage, which included the manufacturing of aluminum castings and an aluminum smelting plant, has hampered redevelopment efforts to date. It ceased operations in the late 1990s after it was discovered the foundry’s former owners improperly disposed of hazardous waste on the property.
In addition to soil and groundwater contamination, the site is overgrown, contains several blighted buildings and is lacking basic infrastructure. These hurdles have caused the foundry property to remain vacant for decades. ACIDA took ownership of the site in 2022 and has been seeking funding to assess and remediate it pursuant to the Department of Environmental Protection’s standards.
Bipartisan support for the project extends to the Adams County Commissioners.
“This is an excellent project for Business in Our Sites. It will clean up a contaminated property while also generating economic development in the Greenmount Growth Area,” said Commissioner Marty Qually (D). “Thank you to Governor Josh Shapiro for recognizing the value of this project and for investing in Adams County.”
“On behalf of the County of Adams, we would like to thank our state and local officials and stakeholders for their commitment to revitalizing the Foundry property,” said Commissioner Randy Phiel (R). “Restoring former industrial sites to produce economic benefits for the region is no easy task and is particularly difficult in the absence of funding. This grant and loan award will go a long way.”
The BOS Program, administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority, is highly competitive with approximately $48 million awarded statewide in late July to a total of 10 projects.
“We know that a lack of available industrial sites is one of the biggest obstacles our Commonwealth faces in trying to attract and retain businesses in Pennsylvania,” said Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger. “The investments we are announcing today—alongside the transformational funding for site development secured by Governor Shapiro in the 2024-25 budget—will make the Commonwealth more competitive and signal to businesses across the country and the world that Pennsylvania is open for business.”
The Adams Economic Alliance is comprised of three organizations: The Adams County Economic Development Corporation (ACEDC), the Adams County Industrial Development Authority (ACIDA) and the Adams County General Authority (ACGA). For more information, see adamsalliance.org, or follow the Alliance on Instagram (@AdamsCountyPA), Twitter (@AdamsAlliance), Facebook and LinkedIn.
See the Commonwealth’s full announcement, including the Adams County funding, here.
Background information on the Gettysburg Foundry project, including photos, can be found here.
