The former GAF Corporation Main Plant Site is an approximately 11-acre parcel in the center of downtown South Bound Brook. It is bordered by the Delaware & Raritan Canal (“D&R Canal”), Main Street and Washington Street.

Between 1895 (probably earlier) and 1984, the Site served as the base of operations for several companies which produced various roofing products, including asphalt roofing paper and asbestos cement shingles. The last major operator of the site was the GAF Corporation, which operated until 1984.

In 1985, the sale of the property from GAF Corporation to Marton Frenkel initiated environmental investigations at the site pursuant to the Environmental Cleanup and Responsibility Act (“ECRA”). In May 1992, NJDEP approved a Cleanup Plan (or Remedial Action Workplan) for the Site. However, due to a dispute which arose between GAF and the property owner, and concerns raised by the Division of Parks and Forestry regarding the canal bank, the cleanup plan was never implemented.

In 1998, the Borough of South Bound Brook designated a “Redevelopment Area” that included the GAF Site. In September 2000, the Borough selected a redeveloper, for the property and in September 2001, entered into a redevelopment Agreement with this developer. In February 2002, the Borough entered a Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) with the NJDEP and agreed to perform a Preliminary (“PA”) and Site Investigation (“SI”) with NJDEP oversight. The Borough received a Municipal grant from the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund (“HDSRF”) to perform the PA and SI.

Sadat Associates, Inc. performed the PA and SI, which were completed by January 2003 and submitted an Amendment to the Previous Remedial Action Workplan (RAW) in March 2003. At about that time a new redeveloper was introduced to the project. Modifications were made to the RAW Amendment and submitted in July 2003. The RAW Amendment was approved in early October 2003 and includes removal of contaminated soil, restoration of the D&R canal bank, placement of a site-wide cap and recording of a Deed Notice.

With the RAW approval, the Borough of South Bound Brook took possession of the property. On October 19, 2003, the 100-year old smoke stack at the site was demolished, signifying the beginning of the remediation and redevelopment phase of the project. The Borough continues to work with the redeveloper, Matzel & Mumford to refine the redevelopment plan, which includes both residential and commercial development, as well as open space. The redeveloped site will restore public access to the D&R Canal along the site, which was not available during the industrial life of the Site.