BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tradepoint Atlantic, a 3,100-acre multimodal global logistics center in Baltimore, Maryland featuring an unmatched combination of access to deepwater berths, railroads, highways and storage space, announced today that Gotham Greens, a rapidly growing agtech startup and leading local produce brand, will open a state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse at the site of the former Bethlehem Steel mill.
Gotham Greens’ expansion to Baltimore represents the third city in its growing network of high-tech urban greenhouses, after New York and Chicago. The initial phase of the new greenhouse facility will occupy over 100,000 square feet in the northern part of Tradepoint Atlantic, and is scheduled to open in early 2019. Gotham Greens’ Baltimore facility will create over 60 full-time jobs and will bring a reliable, year-round, local supply of fresh produce to serve retail, restaurant and food service customers throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
The climate controlled farm will be powered by 100% renewable electricity and recycled irrigation water using proprietary methods that yield more than 30 times that of conventional farms with higher levels of food safety and environmental sustainability.
"We are thrilled that Tradepoint Atlantic has attracted an innovative and growing company like Gotham Greens to Maryland," said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. "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. Tradepoint's prime location provides a competitive advantage for fresh food businesses like Gotham Greens to reach a significant mid-Atlantic customer base. Gotham Greens' locating at Tradepoint is yet another example of how Maryland - and Baltimore - is open for business."
“Gotham Greens’ decision to locate at Tradepoint Atlantic is yet another step forward towards bringing 17,000 quality jobs to eastern Baltimore County,” said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. “Tradepoint Atlantic continues to establish itself as a major economic force for the region, attracting diverse businesses with their desirable proximity to the mid-Atlantic market.”
Gotham Greens’ flagship greenhouse, built in Brooklyn, NY in 2011, was the first commercial scale urban greenhouse facility of its kind in the United States. After opening new locations in New York, the company expanded to Chicago in 2015 by building the world’s largest rooftop farm. Spurred on by its industry-leading agtech expertise and the growing demand for local and artisanal food, Gotham Greens has grown from a single urban farm operation into a multi-state greenhouse developer and operator, dedicated to bringing premium-quality produce to communities across the country. At the time of opening for the new Baltimore facility, Gotham Greens will own and operate 500,000 square-feet of technologically advanced greenhouses across eight facilities in five states.
“Baltimore is the ideal home for Gotham Greens’ expansion to the mid-Atlantic region. We’re thrilled to bring our brand of premium-quality, safe and sustainably-grown produce to supermarkets, restaurants and communities throughout the region,” said Viraj Puri, Co-Founder and CEO of Gotham Greens. “We’re honored and humbled to join the rich heritage of Maryland farmers, growers, and food producers. Urban agriculture, at its core, is about reconnecting with the community through food, jobs and economic development. To that end, we’ve found a great partner and are proud to be part of the American industrial turnaround story taking place at Tradepoint Atlantic.”
“We are very excited and extremely proud to welcome Gotham Greens to Tradepoint Atlantic,” said Eric Gilbert, Chief Development Officer of Tradepoint Atlantic. “Today marks a true milestone, in the continuing revitalization of Sparrows Point, where a community synonymous with the production of steel will now be home to a leading agriculture tech startup producing locally-grown, premium produce while bringing green jobs to the community. Gotham Greens is another example of the diverse tenant base we are bringing to a site once dominated by a single industrial user. This diverse tenant base will provide stability to a community hard hit by decades of decline in American industry.”
JLL, a professional services and investment management firm offering specialized real estate services to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying and investing in real estate, serves as the exclusive broker for Tradepoint Atlantic.
About Gotham Greens
Gotham Greens is a global pioneer in urban greenhouse agriculture and a leading consumer brand of premium-quality local produce and fresh food products. Gotham Greens’ produce is always locally grown using ecologically sustainable methods in technologically-sophisticated urban greenhouses. The company provides its diverse retail, restaurant, and foodservice customers with a reliable, year-round supply of fresh produce grown under the highest standards of food safety and environmental sustainability. The company owns and operates over 170,000 square feet of greenhouse across four facilities in New York and Chicago and currently has an additional 500,000 square feet of greenhouse under development in four US states. Gotham Greens employs over 150 full time team members and was founded in 2009 in Brooklyn, New York. www.gothamgreens.com.
About Tradepoint Atlantic
The 3,100-acre multimodal global logistics center in Baltimore, Maryland, offers a gateway to markets around the United States and the world, featuring an unmatched combination of access to deep-water berths, rails and highways. Ground-breaking agreements signed with federal and state environmental regulators in 2014 to remediate the legacy from a century of steel-making, and the financial backing of investment firms Hilco Global and Redwood Capital Investments, as well as the robust support of local and state government, enable the redevelopment of the site through further infrastructure improvements. At full buildout, Tradepoint Atlantic is projected to generate 11,000 permanent jobs, $2.9 billion in annual economic impact, and add a point to Maryland’s gross domestic product as one of North America’s most strategic commercial gateways. www.tradepointatlantic.com