Another three lots are under purchase and sale option for the development of a government office building and a telecommunications facility. Of the remaining eight lots, two are known to be contaminated with the residues of a former air base. Fuels, lubricants and solvents are present in the soils at a former aircraft refueling stand and a fuel testing laboratory. Site investigation and exploration carried out by the U.S. Corps of Engineers and private environmental engineers have located and identified volatile organic compounds associated with fuels, lubricants, and solvents which where employed by former military operation.

Future development of these contaminated lots will require the documentation of approved remediation actions to remove, isolate or stabilize these contaminants prior to the financing of the sale and development of these sites. It is the contention of the City of Bangor that the federal government is responsible for the contamination and, therefore, the cleanup of these sites to a degree satisfactory to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for the issuance of a letter of no further enforcement action conditioned upon the completion of an approved remediation plan.

Ongoing efforts by the prospective developer of these lots, General Electric, the City of Bangor, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, S.W.Cole Geotechnical and Environmental Engineers, and the U.S. Corps of Engineers are attempting to resolve these environmental issues in a time frame which will not delay the prospective developer’s expansion program. Failure to accomplish this goal will jeopardize the expansion of the steam turbine plant.

Redevelopment of the former Maine Central Railroad Yard in the Penobscot River Waterfront Redevelopment Area

The Penobscot River Waterfront Redevelopment site was formerly an industrial area. Previous uses include a railroad yard and locomotive maintenance roundhouse, a coal storage yard, petroleum storage tanks, shoe assembly plant, a paper company warehouse. The site has been acquired by the city in stages over the last 15 years. Recently the City of Bangor purchased the largest and last portion of the site — the railroad yard and maintenance facility — for about one million dollars.

The site has now been cleared of its former railroad facilities, with only one of the many original railroad tracks remaining, the main line track which serves rail customers in a two county area. The track runs parallel to and between the Penobscot River and Main Street, thus dividing a large redevelopment parcel of nearly 23 acres. The portion of the parcel between the tracks and Main Street have a poor soil condition due to the remains of years of spilled hydraulic train fluids, fuels, lubricants, and oils which permeate the soils. For several years, the Maine Central Railroad and the City of Bangor have worked to investigate the site for hazardous materials. Location of known and suspected contamination has been mapped and a remediation plan has been developed to remedy the problem.

Since the City purchased the rail yard, it has been implementing the remediation plan in accordance with a letter of no further enforcement action issued by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Remedial actions include passive recovery of volatile organic compounds from near the round house locomotive maintenance facility, isolation or removal of contaminated soil at a locomotive refueling stand and over fill of the entire surface area of the former rail yards. To date, costs of this environmental cleanup have amounted to approximately $160,000. Another $100,000 is estimated to be spent to complete the remediation during 1999 so that the development site may be marketed upon completion of a $150,000 waterfront redevelopment plan and the relocation of the remaining main line track.

It is anticipated that the Main Street side of the site will be commercially redeveloped for waterfront-related uses: perhaps a first-class hotel and convention center with retail and office space. The river side of the site is expected to be developed into a public use park with walking trails connecting to both downtown and the Bass Park recreation facilities. Also being considered are a Shakespeare Festival amphitheater, historic displays and markers, and small groves of native trees and indigenous rock formations. Shore-side attractions for visitors and tourists may include a boardwalk, a museum ship, a Maine Products Pavilion, and associated retail and restaurant space.

The City recognizes that its waterfront offers one of the city’s greatest remaining development opportunities, and that what occurs there in the next decade may help define the character of Bangor for the 21st century. The approximate $3 million investment the City is making in its waterfront is an investment in the economic future of the city, and that investment must be made with both careful planning and meaningful community input.

Bellingham, WA
Holly Street Landfill

The City of Bellingham, WA, is in the pre-acquisition stage of a project to redevelop the former Sash and Door Hardware site on Holly Street in the city’s Old Town area. The Sash and Door Company closed its store at the site in 1993 after building a new store at the edge of town.

The two acre property, vacant for a time, is now leased to a recycled building supply store and for other storage. The contaminated fill materials that form the site, which is on former tidelands, complicate redevelopment of the deteriorated property. The property, called the Holly Street Landfill, is on the State of Washington Department of Ecology, Hazardous Sites List.

The location is critical to the City’s current focus on redevelopment of the Old Town Area. Improving the property’s blighted appearance, restoring the health of Whatcom Creek (which forms the southern border of the site), and providing public access along the creek bank are essential components of the areas redevelopment plan.

The City’s strategy is to acquire the site, complete remediation and redevelopment for an as yet unidentified use. Development will likely involve some form of private participation. Public access will be reserved along Whatcom Creek on the southern border of the site.

Update on Central Waterfront Brownfield Site: The project has proceeded slowly due to economic changes for the manufacturer and an adjustment of roles in the development. Recently the manufacturer has decided to move ahead with warehouse and master planning for the remainder of the area.

Bridgeport, CT
Harbor Yard Ballpark

May 12 was Opening Day at the new Harbor Yard Ballpark. The $19 million, 5,500 seat ballpark in downtown Bridgeport is home of the Bridgeport Bluefish baseball team. In 1998, their inaugural season, the Bluefish drew over 300,000 fans. Just two years ago, this was the former Jenkins Valve and Sprague Meter site, which was once Bridgeport’s most noticeable brownfield.

Identified through the EPA Assessment Grant as one of the City’s six sites with the greatest potential for redevelopment, the 8.5 acre, three-parcel, Jenkins Valve/Sprague Meter site is located south of Bridgeport's downtown teardrop off of Main and Broad Street. The site is physically separated from downtown by the I-95 overpass to the north, while a raised railroad track serving Amtrak and Conrail borders the site to the south, and the Pequennock River and Bridgeport Harbor to the east. The site is easily accessible to I-95, Route 8, commuter train and ferry. Before redevelopment, the City of Bridgeport owned almost half of the site. The City of Bridgeport, through a combination of city bond funds and private investment, acquired the property, relocated businesses, and built the City owned stadium with the Bridgeport Bluefish as the primary tenant.

Located on one parcel of the site were the Jenkins Valve facility and former Sprague Meter Company buildings, vacant for over 15 years, which measured approximately 441,000 square feet ranging from one to five stories. These have been demolished to make way for the baseball field.

Another parcel contains a five story building of approximately 160,000 square feet and a two story building of approximately 40,000 square feet, both of which have only the bottom floor occupied. These sites will be demolished in the next year to create parking and retail/commercial space to complement the ballpark.

Bryant Electric Company

The City of Bridgeport's most notable brownfield success story was the 12-acre Bryant Electric property in the City's West End. The West End is home to more than sixty manufacturers surrounded by the presence of several large underutilized and obsolete industrial properties. In 1988, after Bryant Electric ceased operations in the century old 500,000 square foot facility, Westinghouse explored adaptive reuse scenarios for the factory buildings without success until 1992. Spurred by a demand for industrial land for new construction, a partnership was formed that allowed Westinghouse to dispose of the property while simplifying the company’s compliance with RCRA and the Connecticut Property Transfer Act.

Westinghouse remediated environmental conditions that existed within the Bryant Electric building structure, and the City, with funding from the State of Connecticut, commissioned the demolition of the structures, which allowed Westinghouse to undertake subsurface remediation measures. Westinghouse agreed to sell the cleared and cleaned property to the City for $1 with a pledge to complete the remediation to federal and state standards.

In the period of years that Bryant Electric sat idle, the adjacent city blocks suffered from divestment, attributable to the visible deterioration of the factory itself. In cooperation with the West End Community Development Corporation (WECDC), a nonprofit neighborhood development corporation, the city adopted a redevelopment plan for the neighborhood. The City of Bridgeport sought and received an additional $10 million from the State of Connecticut and $2 million from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development, which were used to: reclaim adjacent industrially zoned land for an industrial park; separate incompatible land uses that plagued both business and residents; stabilize an important business neighborhood; and construct a Police Precinct. Another $2 million was secured from the State of Connecticut to clean additional brownfields in the neighborhood.

The West End Industrial Park — 12 acres centered on the former Bryant Electric site — has shown tremendous promise for private investment: the City has already dedicated 4 acres to a manufacturer that has committed to a $7 million capital investment and another manufacturing company has entered discussions with the City regarding the construction of a new 100,000 square foot facility with a total capital investment approaching $15 million. The partnership of private sector and neighborhood interests with local, state and federal governments has resulted in a dramatic reversal of fortunes in a business neighborhood once at risk.

RemGrit Site

The RemGrit site is one of the largest brownfields in the city with the greatest redevelopment potential. It was once a munition factory and now sits nearly idle, adding to the neighborhood’s blight, housing a small number of manufacturers.

RemGrit, a 28 acre brownfield whose 1 million square feet of unusable building space spans the area between two of Bridgeport's main industrial and commercial corridors (Boston and Barnum Avenues), is suspected to be littered with asbestos, lead and contaminated soils. Liens on the property, including a $4 million dollar property tax bill, and an owner without resources to assess or clean up the site are the real hurdles to its return to productive use.

The City has been pro-active in targeting this site, and is actively attempting to induce redevelopment. As part of the Showcase of Collaboration with New Haven and the Naugatuck Valley, the City of Bridgeport has received $200,000 from EPA, $100,000 of which will be used to begin Phase I and Phase II investigations. The City of Bridgeport is also a Pilot recipient of up to $200,000 from the State of Connecticut’s newly created Special Contaminated Properties Remediation and Insurance Fund to continue the environmental assessment of this site.

RemGrit is located in the middle of a neighborhood currently undergoing an extensive planning study from which specific Action Areas and a Master Development Plan will be created. The City of Bridgeport will continue to tackle these hurdles to make the RemGrit brownfield one of the next success stories.

Burlington, VT
Metalworks

The Brownfields Pilot has been instrumental in the move of Metalworks (a welding and fabrication shop) into a vacant building stigmatized by contamination. The former site of Exxon’s oil storage and transport operation, Metalworks’ new building has been vacant for fifteen years. An underground storage tank with a mix of contaminants was removed several years ago, and Exxon is still pumping out 5,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater per day. A range of issues were addressed with assistance from the Pilot including: clarifying liability (that will release Metalworks from responsibility for remediation) changing zoning issues for the rehabilitation of the structure; removing asbestos; working with the state to understand the risk levels presented by the contamination; obtaining financing; and assisting with energy efficient lighting and weatherization. The Pilot was able to access enough historical data from state files and local records to save significantly on site assessment costs. The closing for the building is to take place this month, with renovations beginning immediately after.

The Pilot Coordinator and Assistant Director for Economic Development teamed up to accomplish the tasks necessary for Metalworks to move. A local business with roots in the City, Metalworks is experiencing a healthy growth in sales and contracts.

Urban Reserve

The Urban Reserve is a forty-five acre parcel of prime waterfront property acquired by the City from Vermont Railway and held in "public trust." After intensive public process, a determination will be made as to the future use of the site. It was formerly a petroleum storage and transportation facility, covered with large above ground bulk gas, oil, and jet fuel storage tanks. The city removed the last bulk storage tank two years ago, and the Brownfields Pilot has led the effort to complete the site cleanup. Three UST’s and an oil/water separator were just removed from the "Astroline" site on the Urban Reserve, utilizing municipal bond monies. The Pilot arranged for the funding, and has handled all bidding, contracting, site supervision, and publicity on the project. This has been a true collaborative effort between CEDO, Public Works, and Parks.

The next phase will involve the removal of asbestos and several abandoned buildings. Then concrete paving will be broken up and removed, and grading and seeding will follow. A comprehensive planning process has commenced, and the Pilot will assist in gathering information from the public over the next year. In addition, a contract for the Phase II assessment of the property was issued in January 1999.

Petco Station/ Lake Champlain Housing

Lake Champlain Housing, a non-profit affordable housing organization, has gained site control of the former Petco Service Station on Riverside Avenue. This property, on a busy street, has been vacant and a blight to the neighborhood for the past ten years. The previous owner of the property was asking a price that did not reflect the contamination problems on the site, and was not willing to acknowledge the financial and environmental liabilities of the site. However, the combination of a failed transaction and a forward-thinking employee changed the stance of the previous owner. A Phase I investigation (privately funded) revealed the potential for migrating petroleum and/or solvents emanating from UST’s and activities associated with automotive service operations.

The Brownfields Pilot Coordinator has acted as a mediator between the state and the previous owner, and is working closely with Lake Champlain Housing. A purchase and sales agreement scopes out a Phase II investigation and details liability for cleanup and future third party claims and/or investigations. Lake Champlain Housing plans to construct a building that will include their administrative offices and several units of affordable housing. The Pilot will help Lake Champlain Housing lobby for a completed remediation and state funding under the Petroleum Contingency Fund.

Butte, MT
Clark Tailings/Old Butte Municipal Landfill
Size: 60 acres
Past Use: Mining/Landfill

Community Impact: Reclamation of a large mine tailings and solid waste site impacting the area’s land and ground water, and the eventual construction of a complex for American Legion and Babe Ruth baseball.

Description: Through the combination of CERCLA and RCRA sites, the Old Butte Municipal Landfill and the Clark/Colorado Tailings site were able to be consolidated as one waste unit under RCRA and subsequently remediated. The City-County government and the responsible party for the tailings site, the Atlantic Richfield Company, agreed to terms that will allow for a first-class recreational complex including baseball and softball fields, tennis courts, a golf driving range, playground areas, and open/picnic spaces. Remediation of the area will consist of the construction of an impermeable, revegetated cap over the waste. At present, the cap has been completed and the final design for the park is pending. Once the design is finalized and a contractor is awarded the bid, the recreational complex will be constructed during the summer/fall of 1999.

Prior to the parties’ agreement, the site was useless open industrial waste space, consisting of weeds, exposed mine waste, and capped municipal garbage. Contamination of the groundwater with both inorganic and organic constituents remains a problem but is being addressed under a Corrective Measure Plan, which includes the impermeable cap constructed for the tailings area, a passive venting system for the landfill, and regular well monitoring.

Charleston, SC
The City has identified a primary site and several alternative sites for our brownfields project. The primary site is the former Charleston County Landfill. It is a 0.2 acre parcel of land located on the Cooper River in the Bayside Manor neighborhood. The county has already spent close to $5 million to cap the landfill. However, in recent years a substance has been bubbling up through the ground surface at an apartment community adjacent to the site. The City considered placing a Convention Center on this site several years ago but another site was chosen over this site due to environmental concerns. The City proposes to use funds from EPA to complete the site identification, environmental site assessment, and risk assessment phases of the project; to develop a remediation and redevelopment plan; and to coordinate outreach activities in the Enterprise Community.

The Beach Company, the current landowner of the landfill, has committed to including this tract as a primary site for consideration in this project. Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), a 501(C)(3) that performed South Carolina’s first brownfield redevelopment resources alliance, will coordinate the site identification and assessment phases of the project and prepare the remediation and redevelopment plan. The Medical University of South Carolina will conduct the risk assessment and coordinate outreach activities to the community through their Environmental Hazard Assessment Program (EHAP) will conduct a public health assessment in conjunction with the risk assessment. Outreach activities will be conducted to keep the community informed and insure that the community’s concerns are addressed.

CTC will coordinate the use of innovative technologies developed in South Carolina at the DOE Savannah River Site to remediate the site, if applicable, in accordance with the remediation and redevelopment plan.

Chicago, IL
8801 South Woodlawn

This seven acre brownfield site is located on the far south side of the City at 8801 South Woodlawn, Chicago, Illinois. By way of background, in 1979 the Burnside Steel Foundry formerly located on this site closed following an explosion at the facility. Subsequently, the company went bankrupt and abandoned the property. The property remained abandoned until the City acquired it in 1995 through the Tax Reactivation Program, along with an adjacent parcel to the South. The southern parcel is now part of a larger $31 million expansion being done by an adjacent steel press company. The subject site remains undeveloped because of the presence of stockpiled slag. The cost to remove this slag has been estimated at $8 million. Given the recent development surrounding this property and the adjacent viable business, the property has significant redevelopment potential, but for the costly remediation due to the presence of the slag. Providing a potential end-user with the ability to finance the remediation at this site may provide the necessary incentive to spur development at this site. Many industrial end-users have expressed interest in this site, but are looking for financial assistance to perform the clean up.

Pershing Road

In December 1998, the Board of Education will vacate a major building in the Stockyards Industrial Corridor leaving behind an obsolete building on 24 acres of land. The Board of Education plans to donate the building to the City. The property is ideally located on a major road with ideal frontage for an industrial company. Developers and brokers looking to redevelop the property have all confirmed that without demolishing the buildings, the site will serve little purpose and will remain empty and unused for years to come. Behind the Board of Education is another 13 acre parcel that could be assembled, following cleanup, to create a 37 acre industrial park, a rare opportunity in this sought after area. Companies are looking to reside in the Stockyards because of its prime location in an established industrial setting. However, due to the high costs of demolition and cleanup, the site will remain a brownfields and undeveloped if the City does not take the appropriate steps to demolish the buildings.

At this time, the City has been approached by a developer who is interested in locating a manufacturing/distribution company at this site. This company would create approximately 200 jobs for community residents. However, the costs of demolition and cleanup remain too high for the project to work. As a Tax Increment Finance Area, the Stockyards provides an ideal finance tool for attracting strong companies to the site. Demolition and cleanup funding is essential in order for this property to be developed.

Cleveland, OH

Vesper Corporation /Cleveland Gear Company, Inc.

This project involves the expansion of Cleveland Gear in an older sector of the City. It is the first major new construction of a manufacturing facility in that area in approximately 50 years. The total project cost is $12,350,000. This figure includes land acquisition, hydro-carbon remediation costs, new construction and the acquisition of machinery and equipment. The project funding sources are a State of Ohio 166 loan, a State of Ohio 412 grant, a low interest City of Cleveland loan, loan funds from the Cuyahoga County, an Industrial Revenue Bond and the company’s equity investment. Phase I and II Environmental Surveys have been conducted. Cleveland Gear will seek a Covenant Not to Sue.

The expansion area is a four acre site on which a 80,000 square foot manufacturing facility (with expansion potential for 120,000 square feet) is being constructed. The four acre site was being used as a junk yard. The major challenge to development is the soil conditions. The project is expected to have a significant impact on the community due to the following actors: retention of 149 jobs and the creation of 48 jobs, this project addresses both immediate and projected expansion needs, ability to provide company/community with a landscaped campus setting and an agreement on Cleveland Gear’s part to train and hire Cleveland residents with a focus on the immediate neighborhood.

Walworth Run Industrial Park

This 14.5 acre industrial park is located in the former stockyards area of Cleveland. The area was once littered with holding pens, slaughtered houses and breweries. A few related businesses remain in the area including meat rendering and sausage making plants. The non-profit Westside Industrial Retention & Expansion Network (WIRE-Net) is acting as the developer on this project. The former uses of this site are residential, a brewery, an auto repair garage and a bar. The land was acquired form four sources with the majority owner being the State of Ohio. The residences had been demolished long ago when Inter-State 71 was constructed. The Brewery had also been demolished prior to WIRE-Net taking title to the land.

One of the main impediments to development was neighborhood disinvestment. Developers were hesitant to invest in an area mostly filled by aging, obsolete and sometimes vacant manufacturing facilities. However, WIRE-Net is pleased that the park’s first tenant will be constructing their new facility with no public subsidy.

Total project costs for land acquisition, predevelopment and remediation are $970,600. The funding sources include a State of Ohio 442 grant, one City of Cleveland low-interest loan and another at zero percent interest, a small grant from Village Capital Corporation (an affiliate of the local non-profit neighborhood Progress, Inc.), a small low interest loan from Local Initiatives Support Corporation and an equity investment. Most park parcels are available for sale. WIRE-Net received "No further action" letters on most of the park.

Collinwood Yards

A private developer acquired this site from an individual owner in 1997. Collinwood Yards was built over decades by New York Central Railroad across a 49 acre site in historically middle-class neighborhood. The site once served as Conrail’s main repair and freight transfer yard between New York and Chicago. Employment at the site peaked at 2,000 but had dropped off dramatically by the early 1980s. Early estimated remediation costs at $2 million created the largest challenge to redevelopment. The park is currently at 2/3rd occupancy. Seventeen acres were re-acquired by Conrail (now CSX) for the development of an Inter-Modal facility. An additional 13 acres were acquired by a local company that makes tooling equipment.

The City joined with the State in assisting the developer with the remediation challenges. Remediation costs were offset by a 442 State of Ohio grant and a low interest loan with a grant component. The sites excellent highway access made the property very desirable. The developer was able to quickly identify two end-users. The State and the City also participated in infrastructure improvements.

In addition to retained and created employment, the greatest impact has been on neighborhood pride. The park is located adjacent to an interstate on-ramp and a major commercial thoroughfare. Literally thousands people each day witness the new development and reinvestment taking place within the City.

Columbus, OH
Completed Projects: Remediation of Sites at the Four Corners Development Project

In 1997, Livable Community Funds were allocated for a $2.2 million transit center to be built at the corners of Cleveland and Eleventh Avenues in the South Linden neighborhood, one of the poorest areas of Columbus. This was one element of a multi-pronged development that had seen no private development in 30 years.

Twelve parcels were optioned for the transit center site. The Ohio EPA performed Phase One evaluations of all sites. Two were found to have modest contamination. The Ohio EPA performed Phase Two assessments and the site was remediated as part of the demolition work. Ground was broken for construction of the transit center in October. Construction is expected to be complete by September 1, 1999.

Projects in Process: The Penn West Site

In 1996, Nationwide Insurance, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, announced plans for construction of a major arena on the site of a former prison. Sites around it are prime for development, but much of the land has been used for manufacturing in the past. Preliminary Phase One work undertaken by the City indicates significant testing and remediation work must be undertaken to spur development.

The City is in discussions with the Columbus EPA Pilot Project about undertaking Phase One and Phase Two assessments through a professional certified by the Ohio EPA Voluntary Action Program. These assessments could define the extent of contamination on lands adjacent to the planned arena and help attract private redevelopment of the area.

Projects Under Development: Neighborhood Clean-Up

The majority of land in the old neighborhoods of Columbus is not contaminated and is being used productively. Abandoned and vacant sites, however, are usually contaminated and drag down adjacent property values. The Columbus Brownfield Task Force, established through a recent EPA Pilot Grant, is exploring the use of funds to redevelop the old scrap yards and abandoned gas stations, and factories that prevent expansion of productive uses in older business districts.

A typical brownfield redevelopment of this sort is one consisting of seven parcels ranging in size from half an acre to one acre and under ownership of five separate individuals. Two businesses, both scrap yards, are in place on the site. It is believed that there are local employers nearby who might be retained to purchase the remediated land for expansion. The City’s subgrantee for the Pilot Project, the Columbus Urban Growth Corporation, is assembling the land for testing, remediation, and redevelopment.

Dallas, TX
This 22.5 acre site, which was first developed as early as 1892, is located in a federally-designated Enterprise Community. Commercial/industrial use began in about 1905 and continued until the mid 1960s. Site buildings were razed and removed in the 1970s. Previous on-site occupants and activities, producing environmental concerns included: a former gasoline station, a metal finishing operation, chemical warehouses, electrical distribution substations, a battery manufacturing company, automotive repair facilities, and a paint and varnish manufacturing company. Environmental concerns identified and addressed included an underground petroleum storage tank, heavy metals, including lead, and hydrocarbon and solvent contamination.

Entrepreneurs purchased the site for $2 million from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation which had already spent $800,000 toward environmental cleanup. The new owners spent an additional $2 million for cleanup; entered into the Texas Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP); and received a VCP Certificate of Completion in October 1996. An EPA Comfort Letter was issued in November 1996.

An 11.6 acre portion of the site was sold to JPI, a multifamily residential developer who began construction in January 1997 of Jefferson North End, a 540-unit multi-family residential complex, which includes 108 units dedicated to affordable housing. Leasing began on February 14, 1998.

Jefferson North End is the City of Dallas’ first completed brownfields success story. It was the site of the May 1, 1996 signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the EPA Region 6 and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. The site has been profiled on local, state, national, and international levels and was featured in a HUD Enterprise Community/Enterprise Zone satellite broadcast in January 1998.

The City of Dallas has provided a 10-year tax abatement to assist the developers of this project. The private dollars invested total approximately $37.3 million and 50 jobs have been created.

Danbury, CT
Brownfield Site: 13 Barnum Court
Location: North Central Danbury
Size: 0.25

Past Use: Hat Factories Retail. Site is currently a vacant lot with no buildings. City foreclosed on property in 1995 due to tax delinquency.

Impact on Community: Sale of property is not possible without remediation of site contaminants. Children in neighborhood play on lot.

Major Impediments to redevelopment: Need buyer for property. Site needs to be remediated prior to City auction of property for commercial or industrial use. Environmental land restriction use. Environmental land use restriction-residential use of site is not feasible.

Remediation Highlights: An evaluation of in-site technology of "phyto-remediation" (use of deep rooted plants to absorb pollutants from the soil) to cleanse mercury from the site is in progress.

Brownfield Site: Mallory Hat Factory
Location: Central Danbury
Size: 4.1

Past Use: Hat Factory. Site is now vacant. Buildings are structurally unstable. City foreclosed on site in 1994 due to tax delinquency.

Impact on Community: Homeless populations have occupied vacant buildings. Numerous fires set daily for heat. Concern about public safety due to fires and crime in building.

Major Impediments to Redevelopment: Adjoining business has interests in using property as parking lot, if City completes investigations of contaminants.

Remediation Highlights: Brownfield Site assessments including survey of buildings for asbestos co-mingled with other hazardous wastes are not being initiated. Property transfer agreement with adjoining business owner is being negotiated, that would allow demolition of buildings and building of parking lot.

Brownfield Site: 11 Jensen Street
Location: South Central Danbury
Size: 1.3

Past Use: Printed circuit board manufacture. Vacant building on site. City foreclosed due to tax delinquency.

Impact on Community: Site next to Danbury’s primary watercourse, just upstream from Greenway project.

Major Impediments to Redevelopment: City needs assurance that prospective buyer of property will, indeed, follow through on clean-up of property and river bank.

Remediation Highlights: Although the City has a Brownfield grant for site assessments, prospective buyer wants to purchase property from City and assume remediation investigations and clean-up. If this is the case, the City will relinquish control of clean-up and use Brownfield funds earmarked for this site for another purpose.

Dearborn, MI
Sharon Steel, Brownfield Redevelopment Project

Sharon Steel is a former steel annealing and pickling operation, which began in 1932 and operated until 1989 when Sharon Steel Corporation filed for bankruptcy. The 11 acre site containing three buildings totaling 148,000 square feet has been vacant since 1989 and was controlled by U.S. Bankruptcy court for Western Pennsylvania.

Through Dearborn’s participation in a US EPA Pilot Grant Program with the Down River Area Brownfield Consortium, significant site investigation has been completed. The site has five underground storage tanks containing various petroleum and waste substance, PCB stained floor and PCB filled transformers, asbestos roofing and pipe wrap, and various contaminates through the site.

Based on the information obtained from the site investigation, remediation costs were determined to be economically feasible to redevelop the site for single family residential. A private developer recently bid to acquire the property from the bankruptcy court and his offer has been tentatively approved.

The developer has approached the City to assist in the redevelopment which would construct about 48 residential structures on the site. The City is facilitating re-zoning the site from industrial to residential. Additionally, the developer is seeking technical assistance from the City's staff and is requesting that the City sponsor an application for a Michigan Site Reclamation Grant.

Development of the site is expected to take approximately two years. Ultimately, we will see an obsolete, environmentally contaminated property replaced with new housing. Property value will increase from its’ current $800,000 to over $9,600,000 after build out. This project will rejuvenate this neighborhood, encourage surrounding homeowners to reinvest in their properties and help stabilize our community.

Beech Street

For over forty years, a 7,740 square foot building located on a 1/4 acre site at 22038 Beech Street was used as a light industrial plating operation providing employment and taxes to the City. Since about 1990, this building has deteriorated and sat idle; detracting from a predominantly residential surrounding neighborhood.

Because of the property’s past use, it was believed the site was contaminated and would need substantial environmental remediation prior to reuse. Over the past few years, developers weighed the cost of conducting necessary environmental studies and found the price too risky just to learn how many funds may be required to remediate the site.

Recently, the City of Dearborn, through a US EPA Brownfield Pilot Project, was able to conduct environmental investigations at the site. To everyone’s surprise, only minimal contamination was discovered which required minor remediation. Based on this factual information, a developer quickly purchased the property with plans to develop a new medical office building.

Demolition has recently occurred and the new facility will provide employment opportunities to about 16 medical staff. Additionally, the value of the property will increase from $114,300 to $1,800,000 and will be reflected in various property taxes associated with value. An eyesore building will be replaced with an attractive, productive facility, which will complement rather than detract from the surrounding neighborhood.

Denver, CO

Sand Creek Brownfields Pilot Project

The pilot received a $75,000 EPA grant, which was exhausted by the end of the grant period, December 31, 1997. The pilot also benefited from an EPA Interdepartmental Personnel Assignment, which provided a project coordinator for the pilot, with a match of $5,000 from the cities involved. Major projects included initial focus groups, a Brownfields Policy Forum, outreach to lenders, a number of smaller projects including financial support to a "Creating Partners in Revitalization" forum, and day-to-day, site-by-site efforts working with lenders, property owners/buyers, real estate agents. A Colorado Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund for new site remediation projects has been established using a $350,000 EPA grant. The pilot area consists of several different sites along the Denver, Commerce City boundary. Most of the individual sites are in Commerce City, with one, the Northside Treatment Plant, in Denver.

Northside Treatment Plant

This site (52 acres, plus an 18 acre adjoining detention pond) not only had the stigma from previous use as a waste water treatment plant but was also contaminated with heavy metals’ contamination from the nearby ASARCO Globe Plant, which is being cleaned up by the company at its expense. The Sand Creek Pilot provided $18,200 for evaluation studies of reuse on the site and its structures. The plan, which is now being implemented, includes a $7,000,000 Colorado National Guard Armory ($5,000,000 in federal funds for construction), a park with amenities including a pond with wildlife viewing area, and a 22.5 acre portion to be marketed for new industrial and commercial use. The project was partially enabled by the North Denver River Restoration Project ($10,000,000 overall cost) which among other things removes approximately 300 acres (including the Northside site) from the flood plain. A HUD, Community Development Block Grant funded $1.4 million of this with the rest coming from Denver Waste Water Management Division, Urban Drainage and Great Outdoors of Colorado. The Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration is funding $800,000 of the estimated $1.5 million treatment plant facilities demolition and asbestos removal cost. Demolition is nearly complete; funds are still needed to complete the road for access to serve the property.

North Stapleton/Commerce City Brownfields Demonstration Project

EPA has very recently funded a $200,000 Brownfields grant to address concerns related to a chlorinated solvent ground water plume crossing the former Stapleton International Airport site and continuing into Commerce City. The project restoration of values study, developer outreach and a strategic document. The "kick off" meeting for the project was held August 27, 1997.

Colorado Voluntary Cleanup Program

There have been a number of successful cleanups and No Further Action Determinations in Denver under this program, which remediates or clears a site according to an approved plan, for a specific use. These include: The ROBCO site (a former Denver Radium Site with residual heavy metals contamination, which was developed as a retail building materials outlet); an abandoned landfill with buried drums at the former Stapleton International Airport which is being remediated as part of a park site; the Colorado Ocean Journey (an Aquarium) site which had soil and ground water contamination from a number of former industrial uses at the site; St. Luke’s Hospital, which is being developed into new housing after clean up of fuel oils and solvents in soils and ground water; and the Pepsi Center Arena site from which metals and PAH’s from soils and ground water are being cleaned up.

Additional Candidate Brownfield Sites

The Sand Creek Brownfields Pilot Steering Committee discussed mechanisms to bring additional sites into the Brownfields process. Advertisements and press releases were placed in local newspapers and the "Environmental Market Place News" publicizing the availability of Pilot Project staff and experience and expertise to help in Brownfield-related property transfers. There was no response. There was discussion about development of an organization to create coalitions among local community groups, lenders, developers, local jurisdictions and regulators to identify additional sites, bring them into the process and perform site assessments and other development related activities.

Some sites in Denver which may be potential Brownfields candidates include: the RAMP industries site (an abandon radioactive materials reprocess which is now being cleaned up by an EPA removal action), the area around the ASARCO Globe Plant which, although under remediation by ASARCO, may suffer from some stigma; Industrial Hard Chrome Plating (an abandon chrome plating shop also the subject of an EPA removal action); and a large number of abandoned landfills in Denver which need site assessments and various remedial actions prior to any redevelopment.

Fairfield, CA

There are two known Brownfield sites in the City of Fairfield. The first is Travis Air Force Base and the second is an abandoned Water Treatment Facility. In addition, there are thirty-seven (37) Underground Storage Container sites at various locations throughout the City.

Travis Air Force Base is a Superfund site and although clean-up of the base is a benefit, the clean-up will not generate any new jobs or increase the City’s tax base. The City is currently awaiting Brownfield funds for the clean-up of the abandoned Water Treatment Facility. The possible re-development of the site could potentially bring in new jobs. However, there is no estimate to the number of jobs or if the site would increase the City’s tax revenues. Only a few of the Underground Storage Containers sites will impede development.

The Travis Air Force Base site consists of 900 acres and the abandoned Water Treatment Facility encompasses 27.5 acres. Each of the Underground Storage Container sites contains a quarter (.25) to one-half (.5) of an acre.

Fayetteville, AR

The R&P Electroplating, Inc., located at 2000 Pump Station Road in the industrial area of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas, is situated on a tract of land 340' x 739' containing approximately 5.77 acres. The east boundary of the property is adjacent to the West Fork of the White River and to the Combs Park, a City park.

R&P Electroplating ceased operations in May 1997. Prior to that time, discharges from the plant to the wastewater treatment facility exceeded the metal limits that had been established for them on several occasions during the years of 1994, 1995, and 1996. The facility was vandalized on August 22, 1998, creating a release of an undetermined amount of various hazardous substances. On August 25, 1998, the Arkansas Department of Pollution Control and Ecology (ADPC&E) issued a verbal Order of the Director for the facility owners to secure the site and retain an emergency services contract. The owner complied with the order.

ADPC&E collected environmental samples that were analyzed for total metals plus cyanide in October of 1998.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) became involved and cleanup began at the site on January 26, 1999. The cleanup work is being done under the supervision of EPA and their contractor, C.T. Environmental. It is not known at this time whether all of the buildings, which have approximately 40,000 square feet under roof, will be razed during the cleanup process. The cleanup work is expected to take approximately three months, at which time it is anticipated the property will again be suitable for use as an industrial site. The cleanup cost is estimated to be around one million dollars.

Fort Wayne, IN

Bowser Pump Site

The Bowser Pump Plant is a 12.5 acre property that was formerly the headquarters of an oil pump manufacturer. Subsequent owners have used it as warehouse space, but by 1995, the site was tax delinquent and abandoned with nearly 600,000 tires stored inside the buildings. The State was pursuing action against the prior owners to clean up the tires; however the legal battle was proceeding rather slowly. Furthermore, the site is located in the Hanna-Creighton Neighborhood, which is one of the most economically distressed Census Tracts in the State of Indiana. In an effort to stabilize this high crime neighborhood, the City of Fort Wayne located its Police Operations Center in the old Bowser Office Building, which was adjacent to the abandoned Pump Plant, in the Fall of 1994. Subsequently, the City and its landlord, the McMillen Foundations, have made $740,000 in building improvements, and the City is considering additional site improvements of up to $1,000,000.00 by the end of 1999.

The Fort Wayne Brownfield Forum, which was established in August of 1995, identified the Bowser Pump Plant as a potential brownfield redevelopment pilot project for the community. Therefore, in July of 1997, the City initiated conversations with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to expedite the removal of tires, with or without the resolution of the court case against the prior owners, and to conduct environmental testing. Unfortunately, before any action could be taken by the State and the City, the site burned in a 1997 Labor Day tire fire. The fire necessitated the evacuation of the Fort Wayne Police Department and about 1,000 residents. Fortunately, no lives were lost and the fire was extinguished within three days. The City has spent nearly $350,000 to demolish the fire-charred and unsafe structures and IDEM removed all of the burned and whole tires from the site.

In 1998, the City was awarded a $500,000.00 Brownfield Redevelopment loan from the State of Indiana, as well as a $200,000.00 Brownfield Demonstration Pilot grant from US EPA. The City has now had a Phase I assessment completed on the site along with some preliminary soil sampling and a limited Geonics EMG1 metal detector survey. By April 1999, demolition contractors will complete most of the removal of the remaining concrete flooring and surface structures, as well as known USTs from the site.

The City’s Planning Department is in the process of hiring a consultant to assist with the development of a site plan incorporating ideas from the neighborhood community. We hope to have some idea of the site development in late spring of 1999.

Gary, IN

City of Gary Airport Development Zone (ADZ) Comprehensive Brownfield Assessment, Clean Up and Redevelopment Program

The ADZ is approximately 8,200 acres surrounding the Gary/Chicago Airport. The properties in the ADZ are a mix of commercial, industrial, residential, and recreational uses, both publicly and privately owned. The ADZ is bounded by Lake Michigan to the north, Cline Avenue to the west, Ridge Road to the South, and as far east as Bridge Street stair stepping back to Burr Street.

The ADZ was established in 1994, in anticipation of airport expansion and an increase in businesses and job creation in the area relative to expansion activities. The ADZ can offer businesses locating in the zone tax credits and abatements similar to those offered by urban enterprise zones.

Historically, the industrial nature of much of the ADZ land uses resulted in scores of contaminated sites, including 3 superfund sites, and two properties requiring removal actions. Many businesses in the area are closed and abandoned. There is a generalized image of neglect and deterioration. The perception of contamination applies to most of the industrial properties located in the zone and a comprehensive approach to inventory, assessment, clean up and redevelopment has been initiated by the City of Gary and its local, state, and federal partners.

The expansion of the Gary/Chicago Airport and the resulting commercial, industrial, recreational, and residential redevelopment in the Airport Development Zone will provide an impetus for the clean up and revitalization of this key area of Gary. The Redevelopment Projects and associated Brownfield Assessment and Clean Up Programs will provide jobs for local citizens, a foundation for rebuilding Gary, and a future for Gary’s youth in the 21st century.

Waterfront Redevelopment and Revitalization

The northern half of the ADZ is primarily industrial and former industrial property and the site of the city’s first major brownfield redevelopment project. The current owners of the majority of the immediate lakefront and adjacent properties are United States Steel, NIPSCO, Praxair, Lehigh Portland Cement, Marblehead Lime, Buffington Harbor Resort, Railroads, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Significant remnants of unspoiled and globally unique dune and swale ecosystem are also located in this area.

In 1997 Trump and Barden Casino Boats located their facilities on former industrial property in Buffington Harbor and a lakeside hotel was constructed by Trump in the fall of 1998. The City of Gary has developed plans for a Waterfront Revitalization and Redevelopment Project to build a residential, recreational, and commercial development on former U.S. Steel property on Lake Michigan. A key component of this project will also include innovative public transportation and non-motor vehicle transportation options. The former industrial area will be assessed for clean up and redevelopment through the utilization of casino revenues, state and federal dollars, and private investment.

Airport Expansion

The Gary/Chicago Airport is located directly south of the lakeshore properties and is bordered by the Grand Calumet River as it flows to Lake Michigan. The Airport is entering a Phase II Master Planning process for a major expansion project to the west and north including runway expansion and additions as well as fueling and maintenance facilities. The Gary/Chicago Airport will serve as a major expansion project to the west and north including runway expansion and additions as well as fueling and maintenance facilities. The Gary/Chicago Airport will serve as a major cargo operation as well as a passenger reliever facility for Midway Airport in Chicago. Superfund sites and former illegal dumping areas ring the airport. An assessment project is underway to identify and prioritize potentially contaminated properties in the airport expansion zone. Discussion is underway with the USEPA and state environmental agencies for the recycling of two Superfund sites located on or near planned runway expansion areas.

Phase I Brownfield Assessment Project

The southern half of the ADZ is a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial uses. A commercial/industrial development corridor has been identified along Cline Avenue for airport related development. In 1997 the City of Gary partnered with the Gary Urban Enterprise Association, the Airport Development Zone, and the Northwest Indiana Brownfield Redevelopment Project, Inc. to seek a $50,000 Brownfield Assessment Grant from the Indiana Finance Authority with matching funds and services totaling more than $100,000. The grant was awarded in 1998 and the assessment project is underway to assess an initial grouping of 15 parcels in the Cline Avenue Corridor and approximately 26 parcels in the Airport Expansion Zone with a combined total of 350 acres for the first phase of the project.

J-Pit Redevelopment Project

The 100 acre closed Gary Landfill is situated in the southern portion of the ADZ as is a former 152 acre sandmine (J- Pit) that was previously identified as a location for a new regional municipal solid waste landfill. The J-Pit and surrounding properties were recently signed over to the City of Gary in the resolution of a lawsuit with the stipulation that the J-Pit not be used for a solid waste landfill. The City of Gary is in the process of developing a redevelopment plan for the entire area to create an industrial park, recreation, and natural area preserve. Several illegal dumping areas and a former auto junk yard classify as brownfield sites that will be assessed and cleaned up in the redevelopment process. Jobs, an increased tax base, and a clean and revitalized community will be the benefits resulting from this project that will accrue to local residents who have lived in the shadow of the landfill for more than 20 years.

Bear Brand Hosiery Company

Location: 2100 Massachusetts Street

Size: 5,807 acres

The facility is 400,000 square foot masonry building constructed in 1922. It has four (4) floors with electric, gas, water, sewer and telephone services available. The zoning is M1-2 (light industrial/manufacturing). The location has easy access to the Interstate(s) and, has rail link possibilities. It is also on the local Gary Public Transportation bus route.

Owner: Ted’s Maintenance Construction & CDC Inc.

3980 West 27th Place

Ted’s Maintenance Construction & CDC Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation.

This facility was originally built for and used by a U.S. military contractor who produced parachutes during WWI.

It was later operated as a hosiery manufacturing facility that went out of business approximately thirty-eight years ago.

An Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) was conducted on the site in November 1995. Approximately forty (40) drums were discovered on the site (some having leaked). In the rear of the building, an Underground Storage Tank (UST) was also discovered. IDEM reported the UST, to have been empty. On-site contaminants, detected from site sampling, are below Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) standards. Based on the ESA, IDEM considers the site suitable for redevelopment. IDEM spent an estimated $25,000.00 on the ESA.

U.S. EPA Region V conducted a removal and disposal action for the drums and contaminated soil. An inspection of the UST was also conducted. U.S. EPA Region V spent an estimated $73,200.00 on the removal and disposal action.

In 1998, the Northwest Indiana Brownfield Redevelopment Project, Inc. had a Market Analysis- Feasibility Study conducted for $1,876.00. This study provides additional optimism for redevelopment of the site.

Proposed plans for the facility lays out apprenticeship and training, a small business incubator, commercial and light industrial manufacturing sectors. The plans for the grounds include landscaping, and expanded parking area, and another entry/exit (especially for truck traffic).

Glen Cove, NY

The brownfields in Glen Cove are located predominately within the "waterfront district" — 214 acres of primarily environmentally challenged and underutilized properties which straddle the Glen Cove Creek. The Creek is a 1.1 mile long federal navigation channel that empties into Hempstead Harbor. These brownfields sites have been so identified because they are known to have a history of heavy industrial and manufacturing uses. In addition, tests on some properties have shown a presence of contamination to such an extent that two properties are listed as Federal Superfund sites (Li Tungsten and Mattiace) and one is listed on the New York State Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites (Captain’s Cove). Land adjacent to these sites historically had similar uses, and are now abandoned, misused, underutilized or idle. Redevelopment efforts have been hindered predominantly because of lack of financial resources, liability issues and environmental regulations that result in little or no incentive for the private sector to invest and redevelop.

In spite of these obstacles the City has been successful in leveraging state and federal resources to begin redevelopment activities. In the last year alone, the City has received a $7.75 million grant from DOT to design and construct a road extension to the waterfront area and $6.5 million in the form of a Section 108 loan and accompanying BEDI grant from HUD to assist in property acquisition, cleanup costs and other redevelopment activities. In recognition of the City’s accomplishments, Glen Cove was recently selected as one of sixteen national Brownfields Showcase Communities.

Work on cleaning up the brownfields and Superfund sites continues. In the last year, the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) has been completed at two of the Superfund sites and cleanup is projected to begin within the next eighteen months. The major focus of cleanup and development in the next year will be at Captain’s Cove, a 25-acre site located at the northwest section of the waterfront district. Its use in the past as a dump, including disposal of radioactive waste from the nearby Superfund site, has complicated its cleanup. The City, working with the USEPA, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the current owner have agreed to remediate the "hot spots" created by this disposal as part of the Superfund remediation. The majority of the site will then be remediated using funds from several sources including state funds and Community Development Block Grant monies from HUD. Once remediated, proposed plans for this site call for the development of an hotel, ferry landing, retail development, and open space. Of the numerous smaller brownfields sites, seven have been selected to date for environmental assessment. Four property appraisals, three Phase I and one Phase II assessments have been completed. These assessments will be used to help the City make decisions about land acquisitions and relocation of existing businesses in the waterfront area.

Highland Park, MI

Oakland Park Project

Oakland Park is being developed as a mixed use warehouse/distribution, light manufacturing and high technology suburban style park. The park is being constructed on a 145 acre site. The site was, until 1992, the world headquarters for the Chrysler Corporation. The Chrysler Corporation (now Daimler-Chrysler) still occupies a limited portion of the sight, but will complete their vacation of the site by the end of 1999. When completed the development should contain over 2,000,000 square feet of manufacturing, warehousing/distribution and high technology space. The park is expected to employ in excess of 4,000 persons when completed. Total investment is expected to exceed $200,000,000.

The project is under construction and some tenants have begun operations. Currently, over 100,000 square feet of space is occupied. Site preparations are being conducted on additional structures including a single tenant building with over 500,000 square feet of space. An internal ring road has been constructed which will service the entire site.

Oakland Park represents a unique example of brownfield redevelopment. The Chrysler Corporation (now Daimler-Chrysler) has borne all remediation cost, significantly facilitating the project. Some sight related infrastructure issues have arisen which has hindered development. Alternative funding methods are being sought and utilized to mitigate these issues.

Jackson, MI

During the early 1980s the City of Jackson experienced several devastating economic blows when two of its largest industrial employers; Clark Equipment, and Goodyear Tire & Rubber closed down their Jackson operations. With the closing of these two local industrial giants the Jackson community lost an estimated 7,000 manufacturing-base jobs. The community was also the victim of several other closings by smaller manufacturers that included: Walker Muffler, Yardman Industries, Acme Industries, Jackson Drop Forge, Wyman Gordon and unfortunately others.

Although the loss of over 15,000 industrial jobs was devastating to the community the Jackson community came together from all different sectors to "weather the storm." Now, fifteen years later, the Jackson community is prospering and preparing to enter the next millennium.

With all the "pulling up of the community’s boot straps" that the City did to survive and even grow during this period of industrial desertion, there still remains the industrial skeletons of those past Jackson employers who ceased their Jackson operations for greener pastures.

Presently the City of Jackson is the beneficiary of three brownfields that require redevelopment; the old Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant located on Tyson Street, the old JACO plating plant located on Mansion and Airline Drive, and the old Pittsburgh Forge plant located on Amir Street.

Brownfield Activity within the City

For the last several years the City of Jackson has been developing a plan to redevelop the old Goodyear plant, a 66-acre site. The City has hired the consultant firm of McNamee, Porter and Seely (MPS) of Ann Arbor, MI, and is also working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the State Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC).

MPS has completed a baseline phase I assessment and has began the phase II process. The City of Jackson also hired a real estate appraiser, the Oetzel-Williams Group, to appraise the Goodyear site. The appraisal was completed on March 24, 1997.

The other two brownfield locations: the Pittsburgh Forge and the JACO sites were recently acquired by the City of Jackson through the tax reverted process. They city has requested consultation from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning both sites.

Recently the EPA disposed of approximately 18,000 gallons of waste from the interior of the former JACO plating plant. The EPA crew also did floor decontamination at the site. The City of Jackson is currently awaiting instructions concerning the next steps required to redevelop this potential industrial site. The City plans to demolish the existing building on the site and market the area for industrial development. The assessment of the former Pittsburgh Forge site is in the first stages.

On February 18, 1997, the Jackson City Commission approved the establishment of a Brownfield Redevelopment Authority in the City. The establishment of the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority was in relationship to the new state Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act (PA 381, 1996). Public Act 381 allows municipalities to recapture tax increments from real and personal property taxes paid by the users of formerly contaminated industrial sites.

Why the need to redevelop Jackson Brownfields?

Even though the City of Jackson, like much of the country, is experiencing its lowest rate of unemployment in a generation. The majorities of the available jobs are in the service area and are low paying; usually between five and seven dollars per hour so the redevelopment of Jackson’s three brownfields would produce much needed higher wage employment opportunities for the Jackson community.

The redevelopment of Jackson’s brownfields would also increase the total tax base of the community. The City of Jackson, like most other, older industrial Midwestern cities, has an antiquated infrastructure. The City of Jackson is updating its infrastructure, but limited resources have slowed the process, therefore, with the redevelopment of the three brownfields the City would have the funding resources to complete the upgrading of its infrastructure.

With the redevelopment of these large industrial sites the City of Jackson can expect spin-off opportunities in both the industrial, service and housing areas. The redevelopment of the brownfields should produce a need for suppliers and additional service support industries. The increase of industrial opportunities should also produce a need for additional housing. The City of Jackson currently has one of the oldest housing stocks in the State of Michigan with the majority of the housing in Jackson being built before 1940. Not only does the City hope to increase employment opportunities but also to diversify its’ industrial base. By doing so the City can see the possibility for the need for new higher-income housing. As well as the available disposable income for current home owners, to reinvest in their homes and neighborhoods.

In the last few years the City of Jackson has experienced a revitalized downtown area. With the redevelopment of the brownfields the spin-off effect should assist the downtown area to continue to prosper with new businesses while motivating the current business owners in the downtown area to reinvest in their facilities.

The redevelopment of the City of Jackson’s three brownfields would be a positive step in identifying what Jackson, Michigan will be in the next millennium. The plan is for Jackson to be a diversified economic showcase community for the future.

Jacksonville, FL

Deer Creek Sub-basin Redevelopment Study and Design Project

The Jacksonville Brownfields Coalition is an ad hoc advisory group that has been meeting for three years to implement a program within the city to assist landowners in the economic redevelopment of contaminated lands. The coalition, as pat of those efforts, had initially selected the Deer Creek Remediation Project for study as an initial brownfields demonstration project in the urban core area.

Deer Creek is one of the half dozen watersheds that drain the urban core area of Jacksonville. The Deer Creek watershed contains a mixture of residential, commercial, and industrial land uses that were developed 50 years ago or earlier. Adjoining industrial lands are known to be contaminated and sediments within the creek are expected to be contaminated with pollutants from storm water runoff of those lands.

The Brownfields Coalition has formed an informal Deer Creek Stakeholders Committee composed of landowners within the project area: federal, state, regional and local environmental regulators and the City of Jacksonville. The committee has held several meetings to define the procedures to be used in remediating contamination in the Deer Creek watershed, so that lands can be economically redeveloped.

The City’s storm water consultant, Camp Dresser and McKee (CDM), has prepared, at the request of the committee, a scope of work for the project. This scope has been approved by the Committee, Coalition, City of Jacksonville Planning and Development, Public Works Departments, and the Jacksonville Port Authority. The scope includes site assessment, stormwater system design, cost estimates, cost benefit analysis to adjoining land owners, and a project-specific Environmental Resource Permit to clean-up the watershed. The primary alternative system appears to be construction of a stormwater facility which encapsulates sediments in the lower Deer Creek watershed, directs storm flows through a new regional treatment pond, controls groundwater flows to some extent in the surficial aquifer and assists adjoining landowners to qualify for risk based cleanups on their sites.

The Jacksonville Port Authority and the City of Jacksonville received a $250,000 VA/HUD grant specifically for the Deer Creek remediation project. These funds are being used for the assessment and design work scope prepared by CDM.

Jersey City, NJ

Newport

Development: Mixed use residential / commercial development along the Hudson River. The development includes a regional shopping mall, apartments, townhouses, condominiums and office space. Improvements to the Site’s PATH Station, Light Rail Station for commuters as well as pedestrian access to the N.J. Transit Line at Hoboken have been planned. Waterfront Access, Parks, Hotel and a Marina complete the proposal. Development of 1000 plus acres is in process.

Developed to Date:

• 1.2 million square feet of Commercial Space

• 2.2 million square feet of Commercial Office Space

• 3000 residential units with 1000 under construction

• Portions of Waterfront Walkway and parks

• 187 Slip Marina with associated services

• Prior Use: Rail Yards and associated industries.

Type of contamination: PAH’s, TPH’s and heavy metals

Type of remediation: A combination of bio-remediation, removal and capping.

Financial Costs for Remediation: Assumed by the City and Developer

Impact to Community: Establishes a mixed development on the Hudson River.

Impediments to development: The extensive review, required documentation and delays when seeking permits from the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection, as covered under an Administrative Consent Order.

• The lack of Grant funding for the remedial actions for development, especially for City Owned Property.

• Groundwater Issues

Best Practice: Although the entire site was investigated, the remedial process and development has taken place on a smaller more manageable scale, building by building. General Remedial Action Work Plan and Health and Safety Plan was created and is shared with all concerned.

• The joint effort by the Developer, Jersey City and N.J. DEP has created an unofficial working partnership.

• Returned a large portion of the City to a tax paying basis.

Lafayette Park Redevelopment

Development: Lafayette Park is a neighborhood development of mixed public, affordable and market rate housing on seven blocks, with infill occurring on adjacent side streets. The neighborhood is the community just west of Liberty State Park and within a mile of both Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Approximately 200 Low/Moderate homes of two units (owner/rental) have been completed. There are 152 units of mixed market rate and public housing in the pre-construction phase.

Prior Use: Mixture of residential and commercial property including a Gas Station and Salicylic Acid Factory.

Type of contamination: Total Petroleum hydrocarbons, lead and Chromate Ore Processing Residue.

Type of remediation: Removal or site stabilization and treatment

Financial Costs: PPG Industries as Responsible Party for the Chromate Ore Processing Residue performed removal at twelve sites scattered on eight blocks. The other heavy metal and petroleum contamination was remediated by the City.

Impact on Community: Revitalization and stabilization of existing community.

Impediments to development: It was discovered that chromate ore processing residue was used as clean fill in certain demolition sites scattered on the various blocks. A clean up standard for the Chromate Ore Processing Residue for residential sites was delayed for ten years. Until the chromate waste was remediated, the State would not allow the City to move forward with the remediation that it had to perform.

• The lack of funding for the remedial actions for development, especially for City Owned Property.

• The time delays for foreclosure on properties owing taxes or establishing a fair market value for contaminated land has been a problem.

Best Practice: The City entered into the voluntary cleanup program for all but one of the blocks. This speeded up the City’s process after the remediation of the chromate waste.

• The use of alternate technologies for remediation was a time and cost savings.

• The N.J.DEP holding the Responsible Party accountable for the cleanup of the properties was a major action. The City would never have been able to afford the five million dollar remediation cost.

Portside

Development: The Development is completed with two fifteen story Towers. There are 527 rental units, two floors of commercial space, parking and a portion of the Hudson River Walkway on the Tidewater Basin of the Morris Canal at Portside.

Prior use: Tank Farm

Type of contamination: TPH’s

Type of Remediation: Removal and active reclamation

Financial Costs: Assumed by the Responsible Party, as part of their compliance with the New Jersey Environmental Cleanup Responsibility Act.

Impact on Community: The Portside Development is on the outskirts of a historic district. It changed the zoning of the area from industrial to residential.

• The development, although large, aesthetically tried to blend in with the community via setbacks and similar structural facades.

Impediments to Development: A long Waterfront Development Permit Process with the State.

• RTC takeover.

Best Practices: Continuous water treatment process while performing site development.

Kearny, NJ

Because of the costs and liability issues with cleanup, the Brownfields sites in Kearny remain underused. At this time, Kearny is participating in a Brownfields Demonstration Pilot Project, that is federally funded and is administered through Hudson County. The goal of the project is to get over these liability and cost hurdles and develop these properties.

Knoxville, TN

The City of Knoxville has several brownfield sites including a former railroad shop, a smelter, a foundry, a landfill and a scrap metal site. The City’s present efforts, however, focus on a large former industrial area stretching along the interstate which we have named the Center City Business Neighborhood (CCBN). This 566 acre area is characterized by small parcels and multiple owners making optimal development by the private market forces unlikely. Approximately 150 acres of developable land has been identified, in sites ranging from .3 acres to 12.5 acres in size. Anchor businesses such as Rohm & Haas and Coca-Cola are already in place. The intent of the Center City project is to build upon the existing successful business activities and encourage additional businesses to locate in this vital area of the City.

The stimulus to the redevelopment of this area has been an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields grant of $200,000. We are spending the bulk of that grant money on environmental assessments and a redevelopment plan for a portion of the CCBN (approximately one- sixth of the total park) and for a landscape design plan of the entire area. The city and the state have already invested or committed more than $6 million dollars for road improvements in the area, through two major road-widening projects.

The site has a varied history of multiple uses including residential, institutional, governmental, manufacturing and commercial. The past and present on-site environmental concerns include: metalworking/foundries; marble quarry operations; furniture manufacturing; chemical manufacturing/processing; vehicle equipment maintenance; textile processing mills; printing facilities; welding operations; electric power substation. Phase I assessments have been done on some 90 acres. So far, the contamination found in connection with the $7.3 million in private development that has been launched so far has either been slight or nonexistent. No cleanup has been required yet.

In order to come up with strategies for redevelopment, the city built a partnership among interested residents, business owners, governmental officials, and development experts and representatives from those areas have been serving on committees since the effort began. But the city has been stymied in its efforts to bring significant quality redevelopment to the area, based largely on the lack of available land. Developers express interest in coming into the area, only to have to look elsewhere because of the difficulty and high cost associated with the private acquisition of a large number of small parcels, along with higher site preparation costs, absolute street patterns, inadequate access and absentee ownership. Public action to assemble property into larger blocks, along with public investment in infrastructure, site and access improvements, is critical to facilitating private investment and the creation of new jobs. The city has identified a need for a multimillion dollar revolving fund to cover the estimated $16.2 million needed for site acquisition, remediation and site preparation. The fund would be replenished as the properties are sold to developers. The city is currently evaluating funding options and has included this project in Knoxville’s 1998 Empowerment Zone application.

The decision to develop the Center City Business Neighborhood will influence the area for decades to come but not only through a significant increase in the city’s tax and the creation in 10 years of an estimated 1,800 new jobs with an estimated private sector payroll of $42 million annually. The quality of the design and the type of development would have a direct bearing on the daily lives and environment of a substantial percentage of the population - as well as the appearance of the city as a whole. The potential impact on existing neighborhoods inhabited by historically disadvantaged populations - low and moderate income families and a significant segment of Knoxville’s minority community - could be enormous, making this effort a top priority.

Las Vegas, NV

Fast Facts on the Armory

Why is the Armory a Brownfields site?

In 1997, the city accepted ownership of the Armory site from the Nevada National Guard. This 3.6 acre site contains buildings that were used for office space, vehicle service and chemical and supply storage for military business. In early 1998, a Phase I study was suggested to identify any historical environmental issues associated with on-site and off-site land uses. The City hired a local environmental consulting firm to study the conditions at the Armory site by performing this Phase I study. Their research suggested an impact from both on-site and off-site environmental issues that may complicate the development process. To investigate these issues, testing is currently being performed to confirm the environmental integrity of the soil and ground water at this site.

When will the testing take place?

A consulting firm has been selected and the process of testing has begun. The test results should be available in February 1999.

What will be the future use of this site?

At this time, this site is planned to have a community center and business incubator program.

What factors make this site so important to the development of this area?

This site is located close to a major freeway exit in a mature neighborhood just east of Downtown Las Vegas. This site has good street frontage, significant acreage and is located at a signalized major intersection. The surrounding neighborhood is predominantly Hispanic.

Leavenworth, KS

1. Brownfield site #1 is a superfund cleared site where an auto salvage and scrap metal yard was known to contain PCBs and other heavy metals. EPA cleaned it in 1993-94 timeframe. The City then rechanneled a creek that went through the site to a new location around the site to complete surface restoration work and reduce down-stream flooding.

2. The second Brownfield site had KPL substation and transformer storage on one side with an ink and paper manufacturer on the other. After removal of 2 feet to 4 feet of surface materials, a new auto dealership was built and the asphalt parking lot encapsulates any residual waste that may still contaminate subsoil.

3. The third site had a coal gassification plant (Kansas Gas Service). After removal of 1-2 feet of surface materials, clean materials were used to fill and landscape a city park. KGS has a monitoring well on site, but this is no longer considered hazardous.

Each of these projects has led to significant redevelopment of severely blighted property.

Lewiston, ME

Background

EPA has selected the City of Lewiston for a Brownfields Pilot. The declining fortunes of the New England textiles industry have adversely affected the City of Lewiston (population 39,757). The main focus of brownfields cleanup and redevelopment in Lewiston is the 1.2 million-square-foot Bates Mill Complex. Historically, the eleven-building mill complex employed more than 5,000 people and was the state’s largest employer. Economic decline and massive layoffs, however, have resulted in a large abandoned mill and a barren downtown. In the community surrounding the mill, unemployment is 16.1percent, compared to 7.5 percent for the entire city. The poverty rate in this community is 47.3 percent, while the rate for the city is only 3.9 percent. Revitalization of Lewiston’s downtown and waterfront depends upon returning the Bates Mill Complex to productive use.

Because total renovation is estimated to cost between $70 and $100 million, the city has renovated the cleanest and most desirable sections of the mill first. Signs of the mill’s rejuvenation are beginning to show, with 24 small businesses and 300 people operating in two sections of the complex. Real and perceived environmental contamination hampers development of the remaining 67 percent of the complex. A Phase I environmental site assessment has already taken place. Without the Pilot, financial constraints would prohibit a Phase II assessment of the most contaminated parts of the mill, and developers may avoid such properties with unknown potential environmental cleanup costs.

Objectives

Lewiston’s objective is to use the Bates Mill Complex as an anchor for downtown cleanup and economic redevelopment, and as a catalyst for community job creation. Lewiston plans to use Pilot funds to overcome barriers to mill renovation posed by the most contaminated sections of the complex. Initial Pilot funding will be used for site assessment, site identification, and site characterization. Roundtable discussions with stakeholders will then produce an action plan for cleanup. Those discussions will also help to identify additional investors and creative financing solutions.

Livonia, MI

The City of Livonia Landfill consists of 77.98 acres, and is located in Livonia’s Industrial Corridor between, but not contiguous to, I-96 on the north and CSX rail on the south.

The Landfill is currently zoned Public Land as it is owned by the City of Livonia. Approximately 15 acres are currently being utilized as an active landfill. Additional current uses include a Department of Parks & Recreation Archery Range, Department of Public Works storage and maintenance yards, a police and fire training area, and five acres are leased to a private firm specializing in roadway paving and construction.

Projects currently under study for this acreage include a five-acre parcel for an electric utility substation, and strong interest in 20 acres from a national Brownfield site development firm.

As the City of Livonia's Industrial Corridor is, in essence, landlocked, the location of the City's Landfill is very attractive for re-zoning to M-1 or M-2 and industrial build-to-suit projects.

The Livonia Department of Public Works has traditionally been charged with operation of the Landfill and dispersion of its acreage for new uses. The Livonia Economic Development office is now working in support of the Department of Public Works in redevelopment of this land.

Lynwood, CA

Northeast corner of Alameda Street and Imperial: Western Gateway Site

The site is a vacant industrial building encompassing 83,000 square feet of land. The property has been vacant for many years. Included on the site is an auto wrecking yard and remaining vacant property. The last known licensed use of the property was an electrical contracting business. The property is in a deteriorated condition with trash, debris, broken windows, graffiti, etc. Major impediments to development are the costs of clean-up of the site as well as the demolition, and acquisition of the property. The site is located on two major arterial highways and is adjacent to the I-105 freeway. Currently the property is zoned industrial however, the site could be developed as a commercial site because of its location. Potential development could include a stand alone big box retail use or a Power Center.

Status of the site; City is seeking a project developer

Vestar Development Property

The site is a 34 acre property that is adjacent to the Long Beach 710 Freeway and the I 105 Freeway. The site is developed with a mixture of industrial and residential uses. The site is located in a existing flood zone. The site is in dilapidated condition, deferred maintenance on the buildings, streets in need of repair, with a overall lack of planning and city services. Major impediments to development are the belief that some of the area is built on or has remains of an old landfill as well as high acquisition and relocation costs to develop the site. The property is currently zoned industrial however the property could be developed as a Industrial Park or a retail Power Center.

Status of the site; City is working with Vestar Development on a feasibility study on the economics of the site.

Macon, GA

Downtown Industrial District (DID) Brownfields Redevelopment Project

At the present time, the City of Macon would like to consider the acquisition of property located in the Downtown Industrial District. This property would be used for the development of a regional recreational facility identified in the community’s recreation and open space plan. The plan proposed that such facilities would best be located in this area.

The Brownfield Pilot Proposal would enable the city to investigate the brownfield status of the selected site. Specifically, the funds would allow the city to hire a professional to prepare an environmental assessment of the property with recommendations on the appropriate clean-up activities as well as appropriate uses for the site. Secondly, a feasibility study will be developed which would consider the cost of environmental reclamation, site development costs for the proposed uses, and income produced by the activities taking place on the proposed site. This study would also make recommendations in terms of the financing mechanisms for implementing this project. The third and final activity of this proposal includes a public participation/education program. This program will develop workshops and information materials that will assist the public in understanding the importance of brownfield reclamation as well as showing the financial and development institutions of the community how brownfields can be developed and produce economically viable projects.

Malden, OH

TeleCom City is a regional technology development initiative designed in a collaborative effort between federal representatives, led by Representative Edward Markey, Massachusetts’s Weld-Cellucci administration, and local government to bring together industry, university, and government interests at a site in the cities of Everett, Malden, and Medford, five miles north of Boston. It will position the Massachusetts economy for telecommunications industry growth into the next century.

Among the key findings described in this Plan are the following:

• The strong position of Massachusetts in the rapidly evolving telecommunications industry would be decisively enhanced with timely intervention by a collaboration of government, industry and academia.

• Other states are making major investments to capture this industry, which will triple in size, to $3 trillion per year within the next ten years.

• No other state has adopted the comprehensive approach proposed by the TeleCom City project.

Based on these findings, the Mystic Valley Development Commission ("MVDC"), the tri-city agency charged with redeveloping the area, will acquire a large percentage of the underutilized 207 acre site, relocate the current private businesses and prepare the land for redevelopment by a private master developer ground lessee. The MVDC will work closely with area universities, emerging and established telecommunications businesses and venture capitalists to establish collaborations and partnerships off-site and on-site that will center Massachusetts’s claim to predominance in this rapidly emerging industry.

• The project will create approximately 2 million square feet of new office, R & D, and manufacturing space, generate approximately 7,470 net new jobs on site and at least quintuple the annual local real estate taxes generated on-site to at least $6 million.

• Re-utilization of the site will bring badly needed open space and waterfront opportunities to residents for the cities.

• The project will also draw attention to and help solve long-standing regional transportation bottlenecks,

The MVDC proposes a financing plan involving substantial commitments of federal, state and local financing in the context of these developing industry and academic collaborations. The state investment will involve a total of approximately $17.8 million in grants for on-site infrastructure, $44 million in repayable loans for land assembly and preparation, and $15 million in grants for initiation of on-site industry activities to be matched by other sources. Long overdue regional transportation corridor improvements have been preliminarily estimated at $54 million. The state will be repaid with interest for its loans, realize substantial return from the payroll taxes resulting from job creation on the site and will also fully participate in the long-term financial return of its investment.

In short, the TeleCom City project will position Massachusetts to create skilled jobs and nurture innovative companies to compete for a rising standard of living in the next century.

Mckeesport, PA

Sites

Industrial Center of McKeesport 135 acres

McKeesport Steel Foundry 14 acres

Steffan Industries (Reliance Steel) 6 acres

Firth Sterling 7 acres

Former Esso Station 1/8 acre

Former Gas Station (Versailles Avenue) 1/4 acre

Prest Garage 1/10 acre

Former Gas Station (Soles Street) 1/14 acre

Former Stop & Go 1/4 acre

Former Gas Station (West Fifth Avenue) 1/2acre

Menzie Dairy Garage 1 acre

PBS Chemical 3 acres

Former Gas Station(5th&Hartman Street) 1/5 acre

Memphis, TN

Firestone Plant Site

Eighty acres, located in the Memphis Enterprise Community. Key strategy to Memphis Empowerment Zone Round II Application and strategic Plan. Located in an area, which lost approximately 1,500 jobs when the Firestone Plant closed. Clean-up is key to higher re-use which would create jobs for the surrounding community known locally as New Chicago.

Wabash Screen and Metal Door Plant

Located in South Memphis. Part of the Enterprise Community. Fifteen acre site formerly industrial. Beginning