When the Charles P. Crane Generating Station was demolished two years ago, the implosion could be heard for miles. People gathered to watch its towers, long part of the Bowleys Quarters skyline in Middle River, come crashing down.

Baltimore County announced Monday it plans to on acquire most of the 153-acre site and turn it into a county park.

Forsite Development, which currently owns the property, will keep some of it for what’s being called “low impact uses.” The details of what Forsite might do with the land were not clear, though the county said it could “support the resiliency of the regional power grid.”

County officials said the project cost is yet to be determined because of ongoing negotiations between Baltimore County and Forsite Development.

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“We’re very excited to have announced a letter of intent with the owners of that parcel to preserve a significant portion of it,” Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. said. “We’re hopeful that we get this deal done as quickly as possible.”

The county said it plans to use money from Maryland’s open space program to help pay for it.

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County officials believe a park at the Crane site could be part of a regional park network. It’s about six miles from Gunpowder Falls State Park and close to the Marshy Point Nature Center.

County Councilman David Marks, a Republican who represents the east side of the county, called this a “complex” transaction and said he was excited about the possibility of another new park in Baltimore County.

And a park, Marks said, is a better outcome for those who had concerns about traffic. When the defunct coal plant was demolished, Forsite Development tried to move forward with a plan to build 285 townhomes on the land.

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Marks said residents are interested in a “light use” park, with trails and water access. There’s less interest in a park with ball fields or courts, he said.

“Ultimately, it’s a beautiful property and we want it to stay that way,” Marks said Tuesday.

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