Tradepoint Atlantic, a 3,100-acre multimodal global logistics center in Baltimore, Maryland featuring a combination of access to deepwater berths, railroads, highways and storage space, announced today that Gotham Greens, an agtech startup, 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 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, according to the company, 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. Gotham Greens has grown from a single urban farm operation into a multi-state greenhouse developer and operator. At the time of opening for the new Baltimore facility, Gotham Greens will own and operate 500,000 square-feet of 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 the American industry.”
For more information:
Nicole Baum
Gotham Greens
Tel: +1 (718) 935-0600