Brockway Glass site project gets $5M in grant, loan

March 27, 2019

Redevelopment of the long-dormant Brockway Glass site is getting a $5 million window of opportunity.

A $2 million grant and a $3 million low-interest loan have been released for the project, state Rep. Jason Ortitay, R-Cecil Township, announced in a news release Tuesday. The money will be used by the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County to overhaul the property – a brownfield site located off of Interstate 70 in Canton Township, near the Washington city line.

The $5 million comes from the state-funded Business in Our Sites Program, which assists communities’ efforts to attract businesses by preparing pad-ready sites.

Brockway Glass shuttered its plant and property more than 30 years ago. Hazel Atlas Glass operated there earlier.

The redevelopment authority and Running Brooke II Associates are public-private partners on this project. It will involve demolition of existing buildings – dilapidated structures and a sand silo – to be followed by environmental remediation, restoration of a retaining wall, excavating and grading, and installation of utilities and other infrastructure.

Construction of an access road, on a site with limited accessibility, is a key element of the work. Bill McGowen, executive director of the redevelopment authority, said two grants from the Washington County Local Share Account – totaling $265,000 – are going toward construction of this roadway. (LSA funding comes from gambling at The Meadows Casino.)

He said in an email that “access road design is nearly complete” and the project “will be bid in the spring by RACW.”

Running Brooke II is a general partner of Crossgates Inc., a Peters Township real estate company. Running Brooke got a boost in August when it received $1.5 million grant from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program for this project.

“Redevelopment of brownfield sites should always be a goal,” said Ortitay, who represents parts of Washington County, including Canton Township. “Plans are to eventually construct a warehouse and office facility to support the gas and oil industry. This grant and loan will help prepare the site for construction.”