Gotham Greens, a local produce brand, will open a hydroponic greenhouse in Maryland at the site of the former Bethlehem Steel mill now owned by Tradepoint Atlantic. The company’s expansion to Baltimore brings it to the third city in its growing network of urban greenhouses, which also are located in New York and Chicago.
The initial phase of the new greenhouse facility will occupy more than 100,000-s.f. in the northern part of the Tradepoint Atlantic site and is scheduled to open in early 2019. Gotham Greens’ Baltimore facility will create more than 60 full-time jobs and will bring a local supply of fresh produce to serve retail, restaurant and foodservice customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
The climate-controlled farm will be powered by 100 percent renewable electricity, and it will recycle irrigation water using proprietary methods that yield more than 30 times that of conventional farms with higher levels of food safety and environmental sustainability, the company says.
“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’ flagship greenhouse, built in Brooklyn, New York, in 2011, was the first commercial-scale urban greenhouse facility of its kind in the U.S. 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 agtech expertise and the growing demand for local food, Gotham Greens has grown from a single urban farm operation into a multi-state greenhouse developer and operator dedicated to bringing produce to communities across the country.
At the time of opening for the new Baltimore facility, Gotham Greens will own and operate 500,000 s.f. of greenhouse 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.”
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