City News & Updates

City Partners with state and federal agencies to prepare brownfield site for redevelopment

HUNTINGTON, Ind. (October 17, 2025) – The wait is nearly over for cleanup and demolition to resume at a long abandoned industrial facility in the east part of Huntington.

Omega III LLC has obtained state licensure and permits through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to begin demolition at H.K. Porter on or around October 20. Omega will employ a wet demolition process that uses a continuous water flow to wet down surfaces, preventing dust and harmful particles from becoming airborne.

H.K. Porter operated under various names as a manufacturing facility between 1919 and 1999. Asbestos materials were used in the production of automobile parts for much of the site’s history.

In addition to asbestos, environmental testing has also identified lead, hexavalent chromium and benzene on site. Asbestos remains the primary environmental concern, and building materials removed during demolition will be safely hauled to a hazardous waste facility.

The City of Huntington acquired the brownfield site in 2014 due to tax delinquency. Since then, the City and its partners have worked in a phased approach to demolish outbuildings, remove lead hotspots and underground storage tanks, and clear hazardous materials. Soil was replaced in 11 nearby residential lawns in 2024.

A brownfield site is a property where contamination has hindered redevelopment. The City’s goal is to complete cleanup and prepare the site for redevelopment by 2026, pending no new contamination is found. A thorough site review and testing will follow final demolition.

The 80,000-square-foot primary structure and its foundation are all that remains on the property. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the project a $991,000 brownfields cleanup grant. The City of Huntington has committed $1.75 million in local funds to complete the work.

The cleanup involves a number of agencies and partners, including the EPA, IDEM, Indiana Brownfields Program, Keller Partners & Co., SME engineering consultants and the Indiana Congressional delegation.

To continue gathering community feedback and explore redevelopment options, the City has formed a Reuse Advisory Committee. Members include citizen representatives Heath Pinkerton and Dallas Harris; City Councilman Paul Pike; City Councilman and Redevelopment Commission representative Andrew Rensberger; and Bryn Keplinger, Director of Community Development & Redevelopment. The City thanks each committee member for their service and dedication to Huntington.

“It’s been a long journey, and we’re excited to see this structure come down,” Keplinger said. “It has long been a drain on City resources, the tax base and the quality of life, especially for residents who see it from their windows every day.”