Opposition to Geneva Foundry housing project grows as environmental, equity concerns raised

Opposition is mounting against a proposal to build a 60-unit affordable housing complex on the former Geneva Foundry site, with critics raising concerns about environmental risks and fairness in development decisions.

While the City Council approved the land sale, opponents argue that the site’s contamination history makes it unsafe for housing. Among them is former City Councilor Mark Gramling, who has called attention to what he describes as incomplete cleanup efforts and the potential release of buried toxins during construction.

“The concerns I raised are not just about a single development—they are about environmental justice, public health and the systemic inequalities that continue to impact working-class communities like ours,” Gramling said in a March 22 statement. “To be clear, this is not about opposing affordable housing. It is about ensuring that all residents, regardless of income level, are protected from environmental hazards, displacement and unfair development practices.”

Gramling has criticized the city for what he calls a double standard in its development decisions. He pointed to the rejection of a similar project in a more affluent neighborhood while the Jackson Street site is being considered despite its history of contamination.

“When a similar housing project was proposed for Slosson Lane, a more affluent neighborhood, it was rejected due to concerns about the neighborhood’s character and property values,” he said. “Yet, for Jackson Street, a working-class community, this project is being pushed forward despite legitimate environmental and quality-of-life concerns. Why does the city believe that Slosson Lane deserved protection, but our neighborhood does not?”

City officials maintain that strict environmental regulations will be followed and that the project is critical for providing much-needed affordable housing in Geneva.

However, Gramling pointed to data from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) that he said shows the site was not fully remediated. He noted that while nearby residential properties underwent full soil removal and replacement, the foundry site itself received a more limited cleanup.

“The cleanup for the foundry site did not follow the same process,” Gramling said. “Instead, the DEC removed soil only from certain ‘hotspot’ areas, left contamination in others, buried debris on-site rather than fully removing it, and capped the site with just two feet of soil or pavement rather than conducting a full remediation.”

He warned that disturbing the site during construction, particularly for a four-story structure that would require deep excavation, could reintroduce contaminants into the air, water and soil.

“These risks are not speculation—the dangers of disturbing capped brownfield sites are well-documented,” he said. “Once the soil cap is disturbed, whether through deep excavation or future maintenance, the risk of exposure increases.”

In a follow-up statement on March 23, Gramling challenged the city’s rationale for allowing multi-family housing on a site that remains under long-term environmental monitoring. He cited examples of similar developments in other parts of the country that led to severe health consequences for residents.

“If this site cannot be used for single-family homes, it should not be used for multi-family housing either,” he said. “The city is prioritizing economic development over long-term health and safety. Geneva should reject housing at this site and seek alternative solutions that do not endanger residents or create future public health disasters.”

Despite the pushback, city officials and developers say they plan to continue engaging with the community as the project moves forward. The proposal is now set to go before the Planning Board for review.

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