Bethlehem Steel Corporation
For Immediate Release

BETHLEHEM, Pa., February 27, 2001 - Baltimore County has signed a long-term lease for 28 acres of property in Sparrows Point owned by Bethlehem Steel Corporation. A new Baltimore County Fire Academy and maintenance facilities for the County's Departments of Recreation and Parks and Public Works will be built on the property, along North Point Boulevard adjacent to the Bethlehem Steel Sparrows Point Division facilities.

"In older counties such as ours, smart land use is essential when preserving the balance between open space and development. We need greenspace; we need space for business to grow and generate jobs and revenue to support our quality of life," stated Baltimore County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. "We need companies such as Bethlehem Steel to look around and not just see vacant land, but economic opportunity. We thank them for their vision and their partnership."

In a related announcement, Bethlehem Steel announced creation of the Key View Industrial Center on approximately 100 acres of vacant land adjacent to the company's cold roll mill. "Bethlehem Steel and Baltimore County enjoy a partnership that supports economic growth for the company and the county," stated Van Reiner, president of Bethlehem Steel Sparrows Point Division.

"It takes the will and skills of many different organizations to sit down at the table and plan how unused assets, particularly land, can be brought back to life. It takes the private sector working with the public sector to bring the necessary resources and talents into play," Reiner continued.

The new Fire Academy at Sparrows Point will replace an aging facility in Towson and provide improved facilities, including a state-of-the-art training tower, burn building, indoor and outdoor classrooms, offices and parking. In addition to recruit classes, the academy is regularly used by every Baltimore County firefighter. In the course of a year, almost every career firefighter attends the academy for in-service or refresher training.

"We're pleased to take this major step towards providing a modern training facility. Fire, rescue, and emergency medical services require a wide variety of extensive training for us to perform our jobs safely and provide the services our citizens need both now and in the future. This facility is critical to our ability to meet the demands of the public," said Chief John J. Hohman, Baltimore County Fire Department.

Department of Recreation and Parks and Public Works maintenance facilities currently located in an area near Chesterwood Park in Dundalk will be moved to buildings planned for the newly leased site.

"With the relocation of the present maintenance facilities, seven additional acres of land can now become parkland for the people of Baltimore County to enjoy," stated John Weber, director of the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks. The 14.5-acre Chesterwood Park currently provides picnic and playground facilities overlooking Bullneck Creek.

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