CONFIRMED: US Government Purchases Future ICE Facilities in Schuylkill, Berks Counties

DEVELOPING STORY >>> It’s now confirmed that large Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities are coming to Schuylkill County and northern Berks County.

Deeds were received locally on the sale of two large warehouse properties in Schuylkill and Berks counties Monday.

The US government purchased the former Big Lots Distribution Center in Tremont Township for $119,515,000 from BIGTRPA001 LLC. The effective sale date is Jan. 29.

It also purchased a warehouse property at 3501 Mountain Rd. in Upper Bern Township for $87,402,500. That deed was also recorded in Berks County on Monday. Its effective sale date is also Jan. 29.

Each was a cash transaction. On each, the buyer is the United States of America with return addresses listed as the Dept. of Homeland Security, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency, Facilities Management Division.

With the completion of each sale, the local townships and school districts will each receive a 1% transfer tax.

In Schuylkill County, Tremont Township and Pine Grove Area School District will get $597,575 each.

And in Berks County, Upper Bern Township and Hamburg Area School District will split approximately $874,000.

However, each property will now be exempt from local property taxes.

In Schuylkill County, that equals just shy of $1 million in lost revenue between the County, township, and school district combined.

That lost revenue is one major concern Schuylkill County Commissioners Chairman Larry Padora expressed in a conversation Monday afternoon with Coal Region Canary.

Padora says he’s been in touch with the offices of Sen. Dave McCormick and US Rep. Dan Meuser.

“What is the federal government going to do to compensate Pine Grove Area School District, Tremont Township, and the County for the loss of revenue,” Padora said.

He said he’s also concerned about the federal government adhering to local planning and zoning rules.

Padora did reveal and correct the record with information he received over the weekend that the former Big Lots facility actually does have public water and sewer and that information on its CAMA card listing it as having on-site utilities is incorrect.

“My concerns are the infrastructure concerns to make sure that the sewage system they’re hooked to … whatever water system … is adequate, so people there have humane living conditions,” Padora said. “We’re going to move forward with trying to make sure all these concerns are addressed.”

When reached for a comment prior to our confirmation of the property sales, a spokesperson for Congressman Dan Meuser’s office said, “Rep. Dan Meuser has requested a call with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and our office has reached out to ICE for additional information to better understand the circumstances of the situation. We have not yet received a response.”

Coal Region Canary has reached out to Meuser’s office for reaction to the confirmed sales of the properties to DHS/ICE, both of which are in his Congressional district but have not received a reply.

DEVELOPING STORY: Coal Region Canary has reached out to several other sources for reactions to today’s developments. We’ll report those as they’re received.

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