January 2011

Allentown Metal Works ceases operations.

 

February 2013

AEDC enters into an agreement of sale to purchase Allentown Metal Works from a private equity firm. It is vacant and in disrepair.

 

March 2013

EarthRes Group conducts Phase I Environmental Assessment funded through the Lehigh Valley Land Recycling Initiative’s EPA Brownfield Assessment Coalition Grant for $6,500.

 

April 2013

AEDC purchases property funded in part by federal Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant funds from the City of Allentown.

 

December 2013

AMW site is awarded Pennsylvania Keystone Opportunity Zone designation, a state tax abatement program designed to encourage redevelopment of challenged sites.

EarthRes Group begins Phase II of the Environmental Assessment.

 

April 2014

The City of Allentown awards Environmental Protection Agency-funded Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund to AEDC in amount of $350,000 for the first round of remediation which includes the removal and disposal of:

  • 46,000 gallons of oil and waste oil
  • 2.7 tons of hazardous waste containers or drums
  • 3 unregulated 275-gallon above ground storage tanks and three unregulated underground storage tanks
  • 9 PCB-containing transformers or switchgears
  • 187 tons of non-hazardous impacted superficial soils
  • 86 tons of hazardous impacted soils
  • 26 tons of non-hazardous municipal solid waste

 

December 2014

Brightfields begins work on initial phase of remediation.

 

April 2015

Phase I of site remediation was completed to make the site compliant with the Special Industrial Area provisions of the DEP Act II Voluntary Cleanup program. The work was supported with $354,000 from the City of Allentown’s EPA-funded Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund.

 

July 2016

$2 million Business in Our Sites Loan made to the Allentown Commercial and Industrial Development Authority to assist with redevelopment. ACIDA, in partnership with the Allentown Economic Development Corporation as the developer, uses approximately $500,000 for selective demolition.

 

November 2016

AEDC and the City of Allentown jointly apply for and were awarded $400,000 in supplemental funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct the second phase of remediation.

 

February 2017

Brightfields begins work on second round of remediation on lead and asbestos.

 

June 2017

AEDC received $250,000 from the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation through the BB&T Economic Growth Fund to assist with engineering and renovation design work.

 

November 2017

AEDC begins selective demolition of four buildings totaling 58,000 square feet that were determined to be functionally obsolete. The three remaining buildings will be renovated in several phases. A second round of environmental remediation was also completed to address areas of lead-based paint and asbestos. AEDC executed and recorded an environmental covenant with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which is the culmination of the Act 2 Land Recycling Program.

 

April 2018

Brandenburg completes selective demolition.

 

May 2018

Brightfields completes additional asbestos and lead-based paint remediation.

 

August 2018

A $500,000 Commonwealth of Pennsylvanian Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant is received, to be used for the installation of wall and ceiling insulation, and roof, window and door replacement in Building G. Of the three buildings remaining on the site, this building has been deemed a priority due to its potential to house a heavy steel fabricator or similar manufacturer, support a 25-ton overhead crane, and employ up to 75 skilled laborers. Together the three remaining buildings total more than 200,000 square feet on 17 acres, with renovations planned to take place in phases.

 

August 2019

AEDC received a second $500,000 state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant, bringing the total funds available for the project to $2.5 million when combined with other funding sources.

 

March 2020

NPDES and Joint Permit Applications are submitted to PA DEP.

 

April 2020

AEDC applies for $2.5 million from EDA to match existing $2.5 million in state and local funds.

 

May 2020

PA DEP issues notices of Administrative Completeness for Joint Permit Application.