Thomas Construction Inc. has turned a former brownfield site in the Grove City, Mercer County, area, into a location for new jobs and new investment with the help of the state’s Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program.

Before the company assumed ownership of the 52-acre tract, the Department of Environmental Protection spent $450,000 to begin removing contaminated soil and hazardous waste from the land.

Under the previous owner, this property had served as a storage yard for waste material, heavy equipment and military surplus.

Thomas Construction finished the cleanup of the property this summer and began preparing it for new development. The company, now located in Liberty Township, Mercer County, will move to the new property.

Under the agreement with DEP, the company paid all back property taxes, properly disposed of the remaining surface wastes and agreed to sample groundwater for two years from 10 existing monitoring wells.

DEP estimates the additional restoration efforts by Thomas Construction will save taxpayers at least $156,000.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to relocate and expand our business at this site,” Thomas Construction President Doug Thomas said. “This location gives us the space we need to grow and it, potentially, could be home to other businesses as well.”

DEP did reach a settlement with property’s previous owner, David Murphy, ordering the landlord to pay $37,500 and relinquish the property for public benefit.

For more information developing industrial sites, visit the DEP Brownfields Program webpage.

10/7/2005