High-Tech Greenhouse To Grow At Tradepoint Atlantic

SPARROWS POINT, MD — A state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse is going to take root at the site of the former Bethlehem Steel mill. Officials from Tradepoint Atlantic and Baltimore County announced Tuesday that Gotham Greens will be expanding into the growing industrial center.

Gotham Greens is an "agtech" company that practices sustainable urban agriculture. Through its high-tech greenhouses, it is able to grow fresh produce with "clean energy" and without the use of pesticides for local clients.

The produce will serve retail, restaurant and food service customers in the mid-Atlantic region year-round.

“Baltimore is the ideal home for Gotham Greens’ expansion to the mid-Atlantic region," CEO Viraj Puri, co-founder of Gotham Greens, said in a statement. The high-tech greenhouse company already has a presence in New York and Chicago.

"...we’ve found a great partner and are proud to be part of the American industrial turnaround story taking place at Tradepoint Atlantic," Puri said.

Formerly known as the home of Bethlehem Steel, Tradepoint Atlantic spans 3,100 acres and has attracted tenants such as FedEx and Under Armour. The land on Sparrows Point Boulevard was purchased in 2014 by investors with the Tradepoint firm, which named the project Tradepoint Atlantic.

The firm has marketed Tradepoint Atlantic as an industrial gateway, due to its proximity to the port of Baltimore and railroads.

"Tradepoint's prime location provides a competitive advantage for fresh food businesses like Gotham Greens to reach a significant mid-Atlantic customer base," Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement. "Their unique approach to urban agriculture, in an area once known for steelmaking and shipbuilding, will be an asset to the community and our state's economy."

Powered by renewable electricity and using recycled irrigation water that yields more than 30 times that of conventional farms, Gotham Greens greenhouses incorporate sustainable agricultural practices, according to Baltimore County officials.

"Gotham Greens represents a new generation of jobs at Sparrows Point," Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said in a statement.

The facility operated by Gotham Greens is expected to create more than 60 full-time jobs in Baltimore County.

Bethlehem Steel, which used to employ thousands, ceased operations in 2012.

"Gotham Greens is another example of the diverse tenant base we are bringing to a site once dominated by a single industrial user," Chief Development Officer of Tradepoint Atlantic Eric Gilbert said in a statement. "This diverse tenant base will provide stability to a community hard hit by decades of decline in American industry.”

Gotham Greens plans to open its first phase in early 2019. The initial phase calls for 10,000 square feet of development, according to Tradepoint Atlantic.

• Amazon Builds New Fulfillment Center At Tradepoint Atlantic
• Under Armour To Bring 1K Jobs To Sparrows Point

Photo courtesy of Gotham Greens and Julie McMahon.