Drexel Heritage at Marion Station
Project Overview
The project site is a 15.29-acre vacant parcel on the west side of historic downtown Marion where Drexel Furniture operated as a finishing facility from 1902 through 2002. In 2014, the buildings and structures were demolished as part of a private salvage operation. The property was acquired by the City of Marion in 2018 to clean up the site and make it viable for reuse consistent with the community's modern needs. The City obtained funding support from McDowell County Government and NC Department of Commerce (NC Commerce), and technical assistance support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to perform an initial environmental assessment of the property and remove and dispose of regulated building material (RBM) and chemicals.
A second round of funding was awarded by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the EPA to complete a second round of cleanup which includes the removal of underground storage tanks (USTs) and oil water separator (OWS) and approximately 500 tons of RBM.
As part of the cleanup effort, the City of Marion has established a Steering Committee to help guide a community outreach effort to help identify future redevelopment opportunities. A series of public meetings and community input opportunities will take place during the three-year project.
Project Goals
The goal of this project is to remove and dispose of environmental contamination and develop a master plan for future mixed-use redevelopment.
Public Involvement
The project team is planning to host several community workshops and public meetings to share project details and get community input for future development. Meeting details will be shared once they are determined.