Horsham Township pushes forward with more plans for the former Willow Grove Navy Base, writes Zoë Read for WHYY.
New plans detail where each piece of the long-awaited project would go, including apartments, townhomes, single-family homes, and 70 supportive housing units for the homeless. A middle school, aviation museum, and town center with shops, restaurants, a movie theater, and even an ice skating rink are also part of the vision.
Township officials say the redevelopment could generate as many as 7,000 full-time jobs, turning the long-dormant property into a vibrant hub once more. “We’re looking to reintegrate it into the community,” said Michael Shinton, executive director of the Horsham Land Redevelopment Authority.
The transformation comes with a complicated history. For decades, firefighting foam used on the base contaminated groundwater with PFAS, often called ‘forever chemicals.’ By the mid-2010s, the contamination had made its way into the area’s drinking water, with residents found to have elevated PFAS levels in their blood. The chemicals are linked to cancers, thyroid disease, and developmental delays. They remain an urgent public health issue nationwide.
Extensive remediation is ongoing, with water now treated to nondetectable PFAS levels. The township and the Navy are working through phased land transfers, allowing development on parcels already cleaned up.
Read more about Horsham’s development plans for the former Willow Grove Navy Base at WHYY.
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on MONTCO Today in September 2025.
