For 66 years, Forney Industries in Fort Collins, Colorado operated as a manufacturer and distributor of metalworking and welding equipment. However, by 2014, the company had outgrown their property, and they entered into negotiations with Salud Family Health Centers to sell their site.
Forney Industries originally operated with a septic drain field- a wastewater disposal facility used to remove contaminants. While there were no known spills or releases, the activities over the years resulted in oil-impacted soils and groundwater affected by small traces of chlorinated solvents such as perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE).
In order for the site to be redeveloped for Salud Family Health Center operations, various types of cleanup were necessary, including the removal of oil-impacted soils, the addition of clean soil, and treating the site’s groundwater.
Forney Industries owned responsibility for preparing and implementing the cleanup plan. In addition, Forney Industries deposited funding to use towards assessments and remediation, as well as a contingency reserve for potential future liabilities. To offset this cost, Forney Industries received $300,000 in Colorado State Brownfield Tax Credits.
Forney’s Voluntary Cleanup and Redevelopment Program (VCUP) application was approved by the Colorado Brownfields Partnership, and those resources were included in the property transfer package to Salud Family Health Center.
As a result of the successful transaction, Salud Family acquired the site and renovated and relocated to an on-site building. They are still in operation today. In addition, the 13.6 surplus acres that Salud Family owns could catalyze an additional 95,000 square feet of commercial development and $15 million in construction activity in the future.
