Public Information

The public debate over the planned demolition of the former Frog Switch Manufacturing buildings deserves a clear and honest accounting of what those structures actually contain, and what it would cost, in money and in risk to this community, to preserve them.

In July 2025, a fire broke out in the Frog Shop building. Following that event, Carlisle’s Fire Chief personally toured the site and made a determination that the buildings are not safe for first responders to enter. Those buildings are now posted accordingly. If a fire were to occur tomorrow, our firefighters could not go in. That fact alone should anchor this conversation.

It does not stand alone, however. A Hazardous Building Materials Survey, commissioned by the U.S. EPA’s Office of Brownfields, documented significant levels of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in the roofing tiles of the two main manufacturing buildings. As the roof continues to deteriorate there is an increasing risk of releasing ACM to the environment making this a health and safety issue. Lead-based paint surfaces were identified throughout the structures as well.

Beneath the buildings, the picture is equally sobering. The foundry floors and pits are filled with sand contaminated with manganese and petroleum, documented environmental hazards that must be remediated regardless of what happens to the structures above.

Some have suggested adaptive reuse of these buildings as an alternative to demolition. That suggestion, however sincere, does not survive contact with the financial reality. Removing hazardous materials while preserving the building structure costs approximately three times more than removal during demolition and adds an increased element of danger to the site workers removing the ACM. Installing a new roof on the Frog Shop building, required if the asbestos-containing roofing is removed while the structure is preserved, is estimated to exceed $10 million. None of that cost is included in the nearly $13 million in public and grant funding that The Real Estate Collaborative (REC), a subsidiary of CAEDC, has assembled over two years to redevelop this site.

That funding, drawn from federal and state sources specifically designated for brownfield remediation, was assembled based on a redevelopment plan that has been public and consistent since REC signed a letter of intent in August 2023. The Borough of Carlisle provided letters of support for every funding application that described this plan, including demolition.

In January 2026, the Borough enacted a revised demolition ordinance, without waiting for the environmental reports that confirmed these hazards, and without conducting the community outreach that state funding was allocated to support. The residents most directly affected by this decision, those living in the immediate vicinity of the site, have never been formally asked by the Borough for their input. However, at a May 2025 public meeting, the Borough did receive comments from a Frog Switch neighborhood resident expressing their desire to have the site finally cleared away from their home.

The Frog Switch site can become something meaningful for Carlisle. A federally supported reuse study envisions a mixed-use development that generates jobs, tax revenue, and community assets in the eastern gateway of our borough. That future is within reach, but only if we are honest about what stands in the way, and only if we allow the remediation process to proceed on a sound scientific and financial basis.

The buildings are not safe to enter. The continued deterioration of the roof presents a safety issue that needs to be addressed immediately. The ground is contaminated. Demolition is not a choice made in spite of this community’s heritage. It is a choice made because of this community’s health and safety.

Original article: https://cumberlink.com/opinion/editorial/article_7a6adcaa-a13f-496b-be44-a91e4e0da983.html

Safety Findings

• Carlisle Fire Chief toured the Frog Shop after a July 2025 fire and posted the buildings
  as unsafe for first responders to enter.
• U.S. EPA Hazardous Building Materials Survey confirmed significant asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in both main manufacturing buildings.
• Roofing materials are rapidly deteriorating increasing the risk for a release of ACM fibers into the surrounding environment.
• Lead-based paint documented throughout the manufacturing structures.
• Foundry floors and pits contaminated with manganese and petroleum.

Financial Facts

• REC has assembled approximately $13 million in grant and public funding over two years.
• Hazardous materials abatement while preserving buildings costs roughly 3x more than during demolition.
• A new roof for the Foundry building, required if asbestos roofing is removed with structure intact, is estimated to exceed $10 million (not included in any current funding source).
• Additional building insurance required by DCED if demolition is delayed was not budgeted.

Process Timeline

• March 2022 — CCHRA requests U.S. EPA Brownfields reuse feasibility study.
• Late 2022–March 2023 — U.S. EPA contractor conducts study; recommends full building removal for mixed-use redevelopment.
• August 2023 — REC signs Letter of Intent to acquire Frog Switch property.
• August 2023–May 2025 — REC assembles ~$13M in funding from federal and state
  sources; Borough provides letters of support for all applications.
• May 2025 — Borough schedules special meeting to pass demolition ordinance; REC testifies; ordinance tabled.
• July 2025 — Fire at Frog Shop building; Fire Chief posts buildings as unsafe.
• Late December 2025 — U.S. EPA environmental reports delivered (Phase II environmental site assessment, ESA, and Hazardous Building Materials Survey).
• January 8, 2026 — Borough enacts revised demolition ordinance before reviewing U.S.
  EPA findings.

As part of the Frog Switch redevelopment process, the Real Estate Collaborative (REC) was awarded environmental assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Office of Brownfields to support the remediation of the project site and promote the health and safety of the community. USEPA assigned the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe Center (Volpe), a USEPA contractor, to the project to conduct a Hazardous Building Materials Survey and an Interim Phase II Environmental Site Assessment comprised of soil sampling and a geophysical survey. EPA had expected to deliver those reports by the end of October 2025, but efforts were delayed due to the federal government shutdown.

The findings of these investigations are intended to serve as the foundation for evaluating residual environmental impacts at the site including the presence of hazardous materials within the building structures.  Draft reports for both investigations were provided to REC in late December of 2025.

REC contracted with BL Companies Inc., a leading regional environmental and engineering firm, to prepare a summary of the voluminous and very technical reports in order to convey the site conditions to our stakeholders.  This environmental summary report is posted here on the Frog Switch microsite.

The investigations to this point did not reveal anything unexpected or any existing conditions that would pose an imminent threat to human health or the environment — demonstrating that The Frog Switch Manufacturing Company was a good steward of the environment during its operations.  The few contaminants that were found in the site soils were detected at levels consistent with industrial operations rather than conditions that would be indicative of major spills or irresponsible waste management activities.   There will be additional investigation work completed in the coming months to better define the extent of any identified contaminant and to refine the remedial approach.

However, the Hazardous Building Materials Survey revealed significant levels of hazardous build materials in the two main manufacturing buildings.  Both of the buildings are heavily contaminated by Asbestos Containing Materials and Lead-Based Paint surfaces.  Contaminated Foundry Sand is also prevalent in very large quantities in the Foundry Building and must be removed prior to redevelopment.

All of the environmental issues identified in site soils are manageable via the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Voluntary Cleanup Program. The hazardous materials identified in the manufacturing buildings can most safely and cost-effectively be removed during building demolition activities.  Absent total building demolition, costs to remove the hazardous materials in these buildings increases roughly 3 times.

REC has secured at least $1.5 million dollars to conduct site remediation and hazardous materials removal from the buildings and another $10.2 million to complete demolition of the contaminated buildings, conduct any additional remediation, and perform site security and stabilization activities.  REC representatives are already meeting with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to gain formal approval of the remediation and hazardous materials removal.  It is expected that remediation work may begin as soon as the second quarter of 2026.

As part of the remediation process, REC will be providing the remediation plan for public review and comment and will be holding a public information session prior to initiation of the remediation activities.  Please stayed tuned to this microsite for announcements regarding the availability of the remedial plan and the date of the public information meeting.