Mid-Atlantic Corrective Action

Former GM Baltimore Assembly Plant
Duke Realty - Baltimore

On This Page

• Status
• Background
• Cleanup History
• Contaminants
• Institutional Controls
• Documents and Reports
• Photos, Maps and Diagrams
• Community Information
• Reuse Information
• Questions

EPA ID:MDD003091972
Location:
2122 Broening Highway
Baltimore, MD 21224
Property Area182 acres
Congressional District: 2 and 3
Other Names: Duke Realty (Baltimore)
Last Updated: April 2013

Contacts

Bulletin Board

Status

• On February 22, 2006, Duke Baltimore LLC (Duke) entered into a Facility Lead Agreement (FLA) with EPA Region 3 (EPA) to address RCRA Corrective Action at the Former General Motors (GM) Baltimore Assembly Plant Facility (Facility or Site) located at 2122 Broening Highway in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, the decision was also made, with consent from EPA and Maryland's Department of the Environment (MDE), to assess the Site under MDE's Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP). This cooperative approach has led to accelerated completion of regulatory activities and has been instrumental in putting the Site to productive reuse substantially ahead of the originally anticipated redevelopment schedule.
• Duke purchased the Facility from GM in January 2006 and subsequently demolished all existing buildings and structures. Duke is currently redeveloping the Site to include over 2,500,000 square feet of commercial and industrial buildings to be used for bulk distribution, light manufacturing, and research and development. To date, over 450,000 square feet of commercial and industrial buildings have been constructed. The overall development will function as one comprehensive commercial park and will have an association to maintain common facilities. The project includes storm drainage improvements, sanitary sewer improvements, water service extensions and considerable traffic and street improvements.
• For purposes of redevelopment, the Site was divided into four areas designated as Area A, Area B, Area C, and Area D.  The status of each redevelopment area is summarized below.

  Area A	Former Anchor Motor Freight Facility
  April 2007	Completed RCRA Facility Investigation / Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (RFI/Phase II) and Corrective Measures Study (CMS)
  July 2007	Agencies approved proposed remedial approach
  September 2007	Completed remediation activities
  April 2011	Vacant and undeveloped
  Area B	Former American Standard Property
  March 2007	Completed RFI/Phase II and CMS
  July 2007	Agencies approved proposed remedial approach
  November 2007	Area further subdivided into Sub-parcels B-1, B-2, B-3 and B-4 for redevelopment purposes
  April 2008	Completed remediation activities in Sub-parcels B-2 and B-4
  April 2011	Remediation activities still underway in Sub-parcels B-1 and B-3
  Area C	Former GM Main Assembly Plant
  June 2007	Completed RFI/Phase II and CMS.  Area further subdivided into Area C-1 and Area C-2
  March 2008	Agencies approved proposed remedial approach
  May 2008	Completed 75% of remediation activities.  Subsequent to completion of the RFI, Duke further subdivided Area C-1 and created Sub-parcel C-1 for purposes of redevelopment.
  June 2008	Sub-parcel C-1 sold to Merchant Quail Properties, LLC.  Occupied by newly constructed refrigerant warehouse.
  Area D	Former Fort Holabird Property
  July 2007	Completed RFI/Phase II
  September 2007	Agencies approved RFI/Phase II findings indicating no remedial actions necessary
  December 2008	Sold to Maryland Port Authority and used for port related activities.

• Remedial activities are complete for Area A and Area D, in addition to Sub-parcels B-2, B-4 and C-1. In accordance with the RCRA Corrective Action Program, EPA is currently drafting a Statement of Basis (SB) to solicit public comment on its proposed remedy these Areas and Sub-parcels. The SB highlights key information relied upon by EPA in proposing its remedy.
• Remediation activities are still underway in Area C and Sub-parcels B-1 and B-3. The ongoing Area C activities include groundwater monitoring. The activities for Sub-parcels B-1 and B-3 include installation of ECs, such as building slabs, asphalt paving, and clean cover soils, which will be completed as part of future site redevelopment activities. EPA's current plan for Area C and Sub-parcels B-1 and B-3 is to select and propose a remedy via a SB by the end of calendar year 2011.

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Background

• The Facility is located at 2122 Broening Highway in Baltimore, Maryland and primarily housed GM automobile assembly operations from 1936 to 2005. The approximate 182-acre Site is bordered by Holabird Avenue and residential land to the north; Broening Highway to the east; Keith Avenue and Penn Central Railroad to the south; and, Penn Central Railroad yard and other commercial properties to the west. The Facility is zoned for industrial use.
• Below is a summary of the historical owners and operations for the four redevelopment areas that make up the Site.
  • Area A covers 35.35 acres in the northernmost portion of the Facility.  Originally, Area A was part of Fort Holabird and was owned and operated by the Department of Defense to house military personnel.  GM acquired Area A in 1972 and leased it to Anchor Motor Freight (“AMF”) which provided trucking services to GM for distribution of GM vehicles.
  • Area B covers 52.43 acres and is located to the north of GM’s former Main Assembly Building (i.e., Area C).  In 1971, GM acquired Area B from American Standard, formerly known as the American Radiator and Standard Sanitary Corporation.  American Standard manufactured bathroom fixtures, such as sinks and bathtubs.
  • The Area C property covers 81.33 acres and consisted mainly of GM’s Former Main Assembly Building.  The oldest portions of the Main Assembly Plant building were constructed on vacant land in 1934.  The building originally consisted of two plants, the Fisher Body Plant to the south and the Chevrolet Assembly Plant to the north.  The two plants were consolidated into the Main Assembly Building and were gradually expanded north to the CSX railroad tracks and west to Quail Street between 1960 and 1982.
  • Area D covers approximately 20 acres and is bounded to the north by CSX Railroad; to the south by Keith Avenue; to the east by Colgate Creek and FILA sportsware facility; and, to the west by Broening Highway.  Fort Holabird occupied Area D until 1979 and on-site structures included the No. 2 Boiler Plant, Post Engineer Yard, offices, the Army Intelligence School, a small gymnasium, storage buildings, and barracks.  All former Fort Holabird structures were demolished in 1971 by the Department of Defense.  When GM acquired the land in 1979, the basements of these buildings had been filled with building debris, and the area was subsequently paved and converted to GM’s former East Employee Parking Lot. 

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Cleanup History

• Below is a summary of the remedial activities that have been conducted at Areas A and D and Sub-parcels B-2, B-4 and C-1 at the Facility.

  Area A:

  • Excavated soils that exceeded the soil to indoor air risk-based levels.

  Sub-parcel B-2:

  • Constructed a 118,000 square foot building (Building 118A) and associated paved parking areas and roadways, and green space areas were covered with a minimum of two feet of clean soil placed over a geotextile marker fabric, thereby eliminating  direct contact exposures to soil by the on-site worker, child and youth visitor.
  • Implemented a Risk Management Plan (“RMP”) to manage potential direct contact exposures to future construction/excavation workers during activities conducted after the initial redevelopment (e.g., utility maintenance).
  • Recorded a deed restriction prohibiting on-site use of groundwater and restricting land use to commercial/industrial purposes throughout Area B.

  Sub-parcel B-4:

  • Excavated and disposed of soils exceeding the TCLP-lead limit.  Constructed a 342,000 square foot building (Building 342) and associated paved parking areas and roadways, and green space areas were covered with a minimum of two feet of clean soil placed over a geotextile marker fabric.
  • Implemented a Risk Management Plan to manage potential direct contact exposures to future construction/excavation workers during activities conducted after the initial redevelopment (e.g., utility maintenance).
  • Recorded a deed restriction prohibiting the construction of buildings over soils exceeding the soil-to-indoor air screening levels and use of on-site groundwater, in addition to restricting land use to commercial/industrial purposes throughout Area B.

  Sub-parcel C-1:

  • No active remedial activities were required for soil or groundwater within the Sub-parcel C-1.

  Area D:

  • No active remedial activities were required for soil or groundwater within the Area D.

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Contaminants and Risks

• The primary contaminants are volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons (gasoline range organics and diesel range organics) and RCRA metals

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Institutional Controls

• Currently, deed restrictions affecting the Site prohibit the use of groundwater at the property and restrict the property to commercial and industrial uses.

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