15-03-2025
Mayfield to put major mine reclamation project out to bid, making way for logistics park
A 1.4 million-square-foot logistics park is one step closer to materializing in Mayfield and Archbald.
Mayfield Borough Council voted Wednesday to put a comprehensive mine reclamation project out to bid that will make way for a logistics park just off Exit 5 on the Casey Highway at the end of Rushbrook Street, representing an estimated $110 million to $120 million investment to build the logistics hub.
In September 2023, the state Department of Environmental Protection announced $14.97 million in funding for the proposed Century Logistics Center through the Abandoned Mine Lands and Acid Mine Drainage Grant Program, awarding Mayfield, who applied on behalf of the project, with a reimbursable grant to reclaim 87 mine-scarred acres of the 230.4-acre site.
According to a DEP grant summary for the project, there were two coal seams that were historically deep mined on the site: the Top Clark and Clark beds, with a 16-acre area covering a portion of the Clark mine that is considered a potential subsidence zone. In addition to reclaiming the mines, other work includes removing spoil piles, backfilling pits and excavating high walls, according to the DEP.
The nearly $15 million grant covers the cost of both the mine reclamation and engineering, said council President Diana Campbell.
Mayfield Mayor Al Chelik said the borough plans to open the bids during its May 14 meeting, and if council authorizes it for the lowest responsible bidder pending review, the contract would be awarded May 16. The mine reclamation work could then begin by June, taking up to a year to restore the land, Chelik said.
'We're looking forward to June when they start blasting,' he said.
Because it is a reimbursement grant, the borough will receive invoices from the contractor, which it will then forward to the state for review. Once approved, the state releases the money to the borough to pay the contractor, Chelik said.
The mine reclamation will prepare the land for two warehouses: a 646,380-square-foot warehouse on the Archbald portion of the property, and a 745,200-square-foot warehouse in Mayfield.
In a recent phone interview, Reading-based Century Development Associates owner Mark Powell emphasized the importance of the mine reclamation, expecting it to take a year.
With some luck, Powell hopes to start work on the first warehouse in the late fall; if not, it won't start until March 2026, he said. Construction will take 10 to 15 months for each warehouse, Powell said.
As the mine reclamation work goes on, Powell said he would also start work on utilities and other off-site items.
He projects it will create 500 to 700 jobs across the two buildings, though it depends on who occupies them. Powell estimated the jobs will pay $20 to $24 an hour with benefits.
By applying for the funding, Mayfield saved the developer $15 million, Chelik said.
'It's something we've been waiting for a long time,' he said.
The project is finally coming to fruition, Campbell said. She pointed to the property and earned income taxes the development will generate, increasing Mayfield's total revenue.
Campbell also anticipates workers from the logistics center shopping at local businesses, benefiting not just Mayfield but neighboring towns.
'It's going to benefit the whole region, really,' she said.
