Reading denied EPA grant for Nivison, still seeking funds

Reading City Council's Finance Committee will have to continue seeking funding elsewhere after not receiving an EPA grant for the Nivison-Weiskopf remediation project.

The $200,000 U.S. EPA Brownfields Petroleum Cleanup Grant would have been used to remove petroleum from the groundwater and soil of the 11.7-acre site at Third and Voorhees streets (BIRD'S EYE), concentrated particularly in areas near the rail loading dock and around the rail corridor.

Councilmember Tony Gertz estimates that they'll need to find between $300,000 and $500,000 to complete the environmental remediation, though some of those costs will be offset by a Community Development Block Grant, a Job Ready Sites grant and local funds.

Estimates to prepare the site for new construction, which includes the demolition of 155,000 square feet of buildings, are over $3.5 million.

The land will likely be used for a much-needed expansion of the 59-acre Reading Life Sciences Complex, a research and technology park housing 1,000 jobs and comprised of the Genome Research Institute of the University of Cincinnati, Girindus America, and Patheon Pharmaceuticals.

The former director of UC's Genome Research Institute estimates that the Nivison-Weiskopf site could support 100,000 square feet of new lab and office space at a cost of about $50 million, with about 400 jobs created and $15 million-$20 million in increased payroll.

Nivison-Weiskopf manufactured glass bottles in the facility between the early 1900s and the 1990s. The property has been vacant since it was purchased by the city in 2006.

Previous reading on BC:
Reading to accept bids for Nivison-Weiskopf demolition (11/7/07)
Reading: Demolition of the Nivison-Weiskopf factory (3/20/07)