Ciresi applauds $467,636 state award for cleanup at former plating works site

POTTSTOWN, Aug. 25 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, today congratulated the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Montgomery for its state award of $467,636 to clean up the former Pottstown Plating Works property.

The funds will go toward remediating the former manufacturing site, which has remained vacant since 2009. The redeveloped property, once finished, will be able to house light manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, and general small businesses.

“For Pottstown to reach its full economic potential of providing jobs and family-sustaining wages to its residents, we must look for new ways to creatively re-use our legacy industrial buildings,” Ciresi said. “The new owners of Pottstown Plating Works have a solid plan for bringing this building back to productive use.”

The redeveloped site will provide additional tax revenue for the borough and create jobs. According to records, the property’s former owner was delinquent in taxes and fees. As a result, the Borough of Pottstown, Pottstown School District and the county were receiving no property tax or other revenue from the property. The current owner has paid the school district, borough and county taxes since taking possession of the property, which were over $1 million. The payments are the first payments this property has produced in more than 10 years.

Specifically, the funds will be used for site remediation activities, including capping a section of the property to prevent contact with contaminated soils, installation of a vapor barrier system, and for the renovation to accommodate new business.

“This opportunity is a perfect example of good government investment working for people,” Ciresi said. “I thank Governor Tom Wolf for his administration’s commitment to Pottstown and the promise of its future.”