Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Between 2008 and 2012, three of Carlisle Borough’s largest industrial employers closed their doors, leaving hundreds unemployed and nearly 50 acres of vacant land near the town’s center. Rather than wait for recovery, the community took action. SGA led a comprehensive planning and design effort to help Carlisle turn these former brownfield sites into a catalyst for economic renewal.

The vision centered on the Borough’s Northern Quadrant, where the closures of International Automotive Components, Tyco Electronics, and Carlisle Tire & Wheel left a significant void. SGA worked closely with the community to develop a strategy that would guide redevelopment in a way that respects the surrounding neighborhoods and supports long-term growth.

Funded through a mix of federal, state, and local grants, the planning process included land use, urban design, transportation, and economic development. SGA’s work spanned multiple initiatives, including:

• The Northern Quadrant Urban Redevelopment Plan
• U.S. EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Planning and Site Assessments
• Mixed-use reuse planning for the former Tyco site
• Preliminary design for Fairground Avenue Stormwater Park
• Transportation connectivity design and engineering
• Urban zoning and design guidelines
• Tax Increment Financing (TIF) feasibility analysis

The project broke ground in October 2017 and was part of a larger $126 million redevelopment effort which resulted in new investment, improved infrastructure, and a foundation for a more resilient and vibrant downtown.