The City of Harrisburg was among 19 communities receiving a total of $3.8 million in Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grants announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Thursday.

The $200,000 grant to Harrisburg will allow the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority to work with the community and other stakeholders to develop an area-wide plan and implementation strategy for the South Allison Hill neighborhood’s Industrial Park.

The park was home to various industrial uses, including metal and steel production, shoe manufacturing, and wood manufacturing. It contains five identified catalyst sites: a former automotive site, former lumber processing plant, former commercial dry cleaners, former service station, and former large industrial site.

It also contains 30 other land parcels that may be contaminated. The project is expected to stimulate economic development by developing strategies to revitalize these five sites, all of which are located on key commercial transportation corridors.

The HRA plans to preserve and restore existing infrastructure at these sites and integrate it into any future reuse and redevelopment options. The area-wide plan also is expected to catalyze industry growth, provide opportunities to expand housing and recreational options in the project area, and create job opportunities for residents.

Key partners who will work with the HRA on this project include Tri-County Community Action, the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, City of Harrisburg, Capital Region Economic Development Corporation, and Department of Environmental Protection.

For more information, visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.  For information on Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling Program, visit DEP’s Brownfield Redevelopment webpage.

[Posted Jan. 5, 2017]

1/9/2017