Brownfields
Success Story
Dishing Up a New
Business Park
Chester, West Virginia
Located in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, the Taylor, Smith & Taylor
(TS&T) Pottery Plant opened in 1900. Like many other pottery operations at
the time, the TS&T Pottery Plant manufactured dinnerware, hotel ware, toilets
and specialty pieces. Eventually, the company focused solely on dinnerware,
which it continued producing until the plant closed in 1981. The plant was
left vacant for more than 30 years, and harmful contaminants from the site's
pottery production days remained.
The Cleanup
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded three grants
covering assessments of the property, which identified lead and asbestos.
These environmental hazards were addressed using funds from EPA
Brownfield Cleanup Grants.
EPA's support brought credibility to the project and helped attract public
and private funding. The Business Development Corporation of the Northern
Panhandle, which purchased the site in 2011, secured loans of $2 million from
the West Virginia Economic Development Authority, $2.2 million from United
Bank and $500,000 from the Hancock County Commissioners. Additional
funding was provided by the Benedum Foundation, Northern West Virginia
BroWnfields Assistance Center and Brooke-Hancock Regional Council.
The Benefits
With a clean slate for the 8.5-acre site and all funding in place, most of the old
TS&T building was demolished. Construction of the first industrial building in
the new Rock Springs Business Park began in 2016. In addition to creating 70
new jobs, the business park is expected to help spur economic growth among
the area's energy, transportation and metal industries.
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
^1
I
An artist's rendering of a building in the
new Rock Springs Business Park. The park
is expected to create 70 new jobs in the
community.
EPA Grant Recipients:
Brooke-Hancock Regional Planning
and Development Council, Business
Development Corporation of the
Northern Panhandle
EPA Grant Types:
Brownfield Assessment,
Brownfield Cleanup
Former Use: Pottery Plant
Current Use: Business Park
We're taking an
abandoned pottery
plant and completely
transforming it. This
development will be a real
job creator for Hancock
County and the Ohio River
Valley.
Mike Swartzmiller,
Hancock County Commissioner
For more information:
Visit the EPA Brownfields website at
www.epa.gov/brownfields or contact
Joe Nowak at 215-814-3303 or
Nowak.Joseph@epa.gov.
,5B0:-PWi21
October 201?

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