Gov. Tom Corbett Friday announced the awarding of an Industrial Sites Reuse Program grant to Chester Redevelopment Authority for the cleanup of environmental contamination at the former Sears Department Store and Automotive Center located in the city of Chester, Delaware County.

“My administration’s coordination with our local redevelopment partners to transform old and abandoned sites into areas of opportunity for economic growth,” Corbett said. “Not only will the city of Chester be able to attract new development and jobs, a potentially hazardous site will be cleaned up.”

Chester Redevelopment Authority was awarded a $335,225 Industrial Sites Reuse Program grant for the remediation of a former Sears and Automotive Center location at Edgmont Avenue in the city of Chester.

The site is located in the city's central business district and is a city priority for revitalization. CRA acquired the site more than a decade ago and conducted initial assessments which uncovered asbestos, petroleum contaminants and five underground storage tanks.

The funds awarded to the CRA will be used for asbestos abatement, soil remediation, underground storage tank removal and associated engineering costs. Once the site is remediated, CRA plans to market the site for commercial or mixed use development.

“This is a great project that will provide both health and economic development benefits in the city of Chester,” Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) said. “I applaud Governor Corbett and the Department of Community and Economic Development for taking action to clean up the environmental contamination at this site.”

The Industrial Site Reuse Program, administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development, provides grants and low-interest loans for environmental assessments and remediation.

The program is designed to foster the cleanup of environmental contamination at industrial sites, thereby bringing blighted land into productive reuse.

9/2/2013