Brownfields
Success Story
A Former Coal Mine
Springs to Life
Weirton, West Virginia
Located on a 45-acre parcel in Weirton, West Virginia, the Three Springs
Business Park is situated on a former coal mine owned and operated by
Weirton Steel. After more than a century of use in both the mining and steel
industries, the land was suspected to be contaminated. Companies looking
to relocate to the site wanted to ensure a clean bill of environmental health
before staking their claim. It became clear that U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) involvement in any redevelopment project was vital to the
successful revitalization of this brownfield site.
The Cleanup
EPA awarded three Brownfield Assessment Grants to the Brooke-Hancock
Regional Planning and Development Council (2004, 2005 and 2009) and
one to the Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle
(2016) to assess sites on the former Weirton Steel property. Environmental
site assessments revealed no major contaminants. EPA funding for the
assessments helped the redevelopment organizations work with four
companies to clear hurdles in their quest to make the Three Springs Business
Park their new home.
The Benefits
The Three Springs Business Park redevelopment project has been a great
success for the Weirton community. Nearly $20 million dollars was leveraged
to complete the redevelopment of the site. Four businesses—Rue21 (relocated
in 2012), Barney's Bakery and North American Industrial Services (relocated
in 2016) and Pietro Fiorentini (opening in 2018)—have been happy with their
decision to move there. And local residents now have opportunities to work in
modern industries close to home. More than 350 jobs have been created, and
it's estimated that number could eventually expand to 1,000.
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Barney's Bakery opened in 2016.
(Source: BDC)
EPA Grant Recipients:
Brooke-Hancock Regional Planning
and Development Council, Business
Development Corporation of the
Northern Panhandle
EPA Grant Type:
Brownfield Assessment
Former Use: Coal Mine
Current Uses: Industrial, Retail
The local impact
from the jobs the
business park
will create will be
enormous.
Patrick Ford,
Executive Director,
Business Development
Corporation of the
Northern Panhandle
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.
IE»:56D>-P-TS1S
October 20T?

-------