The former Wilkins AFS is a Formerly Used Defense Site property located at the north end of the city of Shelby, Richland County, Ohio. The former Wilkins AFS consisted of 486 acres; it was acquired by the United States Army Air Force in 1943 and used as a storage depot until 1961. The site is currently an industrial complex and an educational facility. The Department of Defense operated the approximately 486-acre Wilkins AFS as a storage depot from 1943 to 1961. The site was used to store medical supplies, airplane parts, clothing, rations, vehicle parts and supplies. As a supply depot, the primary features of the facility were multiple storage warehouses, a repair and maintenance shop, several paint shops and paint storage areas, a battery shop and service, laboratory supply storage, an incinerator, and a fire station and pump house. The planned closure of Wilkins AFS was announced on October 2, 1957. In 1960, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) declared the facility excess; it was closed in June 1961 and transferred to the General Services Administration to be sold. The former AFS was sold to various businesses, local government entities, the Shelby County Board of Education, and individuals. Currently, Central Illinois Associates LLC owns, and Central Ohio Warehouse, LLC operates, the Shelby Horizons Area of Concern (AOC). The Pioneer Joint Vocational School District owns, and Pioneer Career & Technology Center operates, the Pioneer AOC. The site has been connected to the City of Shelby public water supply since initial development. Shelby Horizons is zoned heavy industrial, and Pioneer AOC is zoned office service.
Metals and semi-volatile organic compounds have been detected in samples collected at Pioneer AOC and Shelby Horizons AOC at concentrations above the identified screening levels. The identified screening levels included United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 Preliminary Remediation Goals for soil and water and USEPA Maximum Contaminant Levels for water. It should be noted that USEPA Region 9 residential soil PRGs are now known as Regional Screening Levels.
Contact Information
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District
Public Affairs
600 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Place
Louisville, KY 40202
RE: Former Wilkins AFS
Phone: (502) 315-6769
Email: lrl-pao@usace.army.mil