ARA Receives Environmental Cleanup Grants

More financial news came out about the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority on Friday, but this information probably wasn't going to anger anybody. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officially announced it was awarding two grants totalling $400,000 to the ARA to clean up two former industrial sites that are expected to be part of a revitalized downtown Attleboro. Also, the local agency will receive an additional $365,000 from MassDevelopment to complete the effort.

The grant money will be used to clean up the former Automatic Machine Product and American Metalcraft Co. properties.

"I can't even tell you how we feel about the fact that those two grants are going to help us do the final bit of cleanup on this site and that we are already talking with the developer who has in mind doing exactly what our urban renewal plan had in mind for this land," said ARA Chair Judy Robbins during a Friday morning ceremony.

A press release from the EPA describes the basic outline of the ARA and city's plan for the area.

"The end result of this project will turn this former industrial/commercial area into one of mixed use, including commercial, residential and recreational uses," the release states. "Also, substantial expansion and improvements of bus and rail transportation will be completed. This initiative brings concentrated technical and financial assistance from state and federal agencies to this project."