Technical Assistance Success Stories | EPA #560F22301 March 2022 Planning for Sustainable Brownfield Redevelopment FORMER ACF INDUSTRIES SITE - HUNTINGTON, WV (EPA REGION 3) SITE STATISTICS • Community: Huntington, West Virginia • Local project lead: Huntington Municipal Development Authority (HMDA) • Former use: American Car and Foundry (ACF) Industries railcar manufacturing • Future use: Mixed-use, higher education, research, and high-tech manufacturing • Brownfields technical assistance: Funding/financing analysis for site reuse; assessment of local workforce/real estate needs PROJECT BACKGROUND The ACF Industries site is a 42-acre, former railcar manufacturing facility located at 2300 3rd Avenue in Huntington, West Virginia. HMDA purchased the site in 2020 with a goal of repositioning it with new uses, including: education, research, and high-tech and advanced manufacturing. The site reuse goals are consistent with ongoing efforts to foster economic development projects and diversify the regional economy. Demolition of former industrial buildings at the site is ongoing. PROJECT CHALLENGE Figure 1: Aerial View of the ACF Industries Site. HMDA needed brownfields expertise to understand how the ACF Industries site could be repositioned to serve the needs of Huntington's changing economy. Information needs included: key workforce strengths, the potential needs of new and emerging growth companies near the site, and available space to develop educational/training programs. HOW EPA HELPED In 2021, the U.S. EPA's Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR) provided technical assistance (TA) to support HMDA. Completed tasks include: • Regional Demographic and Workforce Analysis: The TA team compiled economic and demographic data for the Huntington-Ashland region WV-KY-OH MSA region to show how emerging market growth may impact future real estate needs. Emerging growth areas include cybersecurity, aviation and maintenance, and medical devices. • GIS Mapping: The TA team prepared Geographic Information System (GIS) maps showing the locations of key area businesses, non-profits, hospitals, large employers, and Marshall University offices relative to the ACF Industries site and other "catalyst" brownfield properties. These base maps can be updated as future growth evolves. • Stakeholder Interviews: The TA team interviewed key stakeholders who play significant roles in economic and business development, education, and workforce training in the Huntington area and compiled this information for HDMA to leverage in redevelopment planning. • Site Tour: The TA team toured the ACF Industries site, the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RCBI), and the West Edge Factory to document opportunities and challenges with repositioning the site. COMMUNITY'S NEXT STEPS Continue planning for the redevelopment of the ACF Industries site and surrounding properties. Coordinate an ACF Industries Site Partners Workshop Planning Session with key stakeholders. Prepare a strategy to attract developers and end-users to the ACF Industries site. Questions? Please contact EPA Region 3: Brett Gilmartin or Michael Taurine ------- |