Comments on: Guest Column: FOZ says ‘thank you’ http://rockrivertimes.com/2011/02/16/foz-says-%e2%80%98thank-you%e2%80%99/ The Rock River Times - THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1993 Fri, 24 May 2013 02:20:13 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Channing Brechlin Jr http://rockrivertimes.com/2011/02/16/foz-says-%e2%80%98thank-you%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-2065 Channing Brechlin Jr Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:24:55 +0000 http://rockrivertimes.com/?p=28988#comment-2065 Historic status is indeed an important first step, but there's one idea that has not been made for Amerock's re-development: Industrial scale hydroponic farm. Cornell University claims that an optimized hydroponic acre can yield 470 tons of lettuce per acre per year, compared with just 20 tons per acre per year in the conventional California outdoor setting. The Amerock has roughly five acres of floor space. My recent receipt for roughly one pound of organic Romain lettuce from California on sale shows a street price of $2.99. The street value of 470 tons works out to around $2.8 Million per year for just one of those five acres inside the Amerock. Tomatoes similarly show production in hydroponics at around 80 times that of conventional outdoor farming. A large part of these hyper-productive yields is the fact that they continue year round unaffected by seasonal weather and pests. Some of the major advantages that should be considered: - Any kind of residential conversion of the Amerock, lofts, hotel, and/or retail will require $10-20 million+ worth of electrical, plumbing, elevators and windows while a hydroponic facility conversion would require NONE of the above, only updates to the current industrial infrastructure. - If Cornell's figures are anywhere near real-world achievable then the Amerock could theoretically become an economic powerhouse in a very short period of time, providing jobs and localized produce. This, importantly, would displace "imports" into Rockford while also potentially creating a new export product. Real, sustainable, year-round jobs in a brand new field would result and the Amerock could end up back on the tax rolls. - Historic Preservation Status would be entirely compatible with such a conversion and any and all potential tax and grant benefits would theoretically apply. In addition, such a 'green' urban development would open the development up to other types of grants relating to food and jobs-creation that a residential development might hinder. - Our community would no longer be looking and waiting for that illusive tens of millions in development money. - Because of the height of the Amerock it is ideally suited for roof-top wind and solar generation offsetting much of the lighting required in hydroponic operation. I realize many people are somewhat fixed ona residential development there, but having looked into the issue some years ago, it is understandable why no one has been able to pull of this kind of conversion. I think it's time that we look at this other option as potentially more doable and even progressive. Historic status is indeed an important first step, but there’s one idea that has not been made for Amerock’s re-development: Industrial scale hydroponic farm.

Cornell University claims that an optimized hydroponic acre can yield 470 tons of lettuce per acre per year, compared with just 20 tons per acre per year in the conventional California outdoor setting. The Amerock has roughly five acres of floor space.

My recent receipt for roughly one pound of organic Romain lettuce from California on sale shows a street price of $2.99. The street value of 470 tons works out to around $2.8 Million per year for just one of those five acres inside the Amerock. Tomatoes similarly show production in hydroponics at around 80 times that of conventional outdoor farming. A large part of these hyper-productive yields is the fact that they continue year round unaffected by seasonal weather and pests.

Some of the major advantages that should be considered:

- Any kind of residential conversion of the Amerock, lofts, hotel, and/or retail will require $10-20 million+ worth of electrical, plumbing, elevators and windows while a hydroponic facility conversion would require NONE of the above, only updates to the current industrial infrastructure.

- If Cornell’s figures are anywhere near real-world achievable then the Amerock could theoretically become an economic powerhouse in a very short period of time, providing jobs and localized produce. This, importantly, would displace “imports” into Rockford while also potentially creating a new export product. Real, sustainable, year-round jobs in a brand new field would result and the Amerock could end up back on the tax rolls.

- Historic Preservation Status would be entirely compatible with such a conversion and any and all potential tax and grant benefits would theoretically apply. In addition, such a ‘green’ urban development would open the development up to other types of grants relating to food and jobs-creation that a residential development might hinder.

- Our community would no longer be looking and waiting for that illusive tens of millions in development money.

- Because of the height of the Amerock it is ideally suited for roof-top wind and solar generation offsetting much of the lighting required in hydroponic operation.

I realize many people are somewhat fixed ona residential development there, but having looked into the issue some years ago, it is understandable why no one has been able to pull of this kind of conversion. I think it’s time that we look at this other option as potentially more doable and even progressive.

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