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Brownfields Redevelopment A COMPENDIUM OF CASE STUDIES,VOLUME I

RECLAIMING LAND, R E V I TALIZING COMMUNITIES

The United States Conference of Mayors

Donald L. Plusquellic, Mayor of AkronPresident

Beverly O’Neill, Mayor of Long BeachVice-President

Michael A. Guido, Mayor of DearbornChair,Advisory Board

Patrick McCrory, Mayor of CharlotteChair, Environment Committee

J. Christian Bollwage, Mayor of ElizabethCo-Chair, Brownfields Task Force

John Peyton, Mayor of JacksonvilleCo-Chair, Brownfields Task Force

J.Thomas Cochran, Executive Director

The United States Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 ormore through their chief elected official, the Mayor.

United States Conference of Mayors1620 I Street, NW

Washington, DC 20006

(202) 293-7330www.usmayors.org

The Case Studies presented in this document were collected and disseminated in 2003 and early 2004. Many sites haveundergone changes since the information was originally collected.

This publication was made possible, in part, with funding form the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of SolidWaste and Emergency Response.The information contained in this document does not necessarily reflect the views of the

U.S. Enviromental Protection Agency or The United States Conference of Mayors.

Cover Photo: Submitted by the City of St. Louis, MO and Balke Browne Associates – The Saint Louis Commerce Center, invarious stages of decontamination and redevelopment, currently provides thousands of new jobs in 487,000 square feet ofdowntown office, distribution and warehousing space.The site, formerly composed of mixed industrial uses, had experi-

enced years of neglect as population centers tended toward suburban areas.

Brownfields Redevelopment: A Compedium of Case Studies,Volume — 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM:Historic Albuquerque High School

CITY OF BATON ROUGE, LA:North Boulevards Improvement Project

CITY OF DEARBORN, MI:Sharon Steel Facility Redevelopment

CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, NC:The Airborne and Special Operations Museum

CITY OF GAINESVILLE, FL:Depot Regional Stormwater Park

CITY OF JACKSON, MS:LeFleur’s Landing and Simon’s Dry Cleaners

CITY OF LANSING, MI:Triangle Property & Coal Storage Site

CITY OF LEWISTON, ME:Bates Mill Complex

CITY OF MOLINE, IL:Bass Street Landing Redevelopment

VILLAGE OF PALATINE, IL:Wellington Court Condominiums

CITY OF ROME, NY:Former General Cable/East Rome Business Park

CITY OF SAINT LOUIS, MO:The Saint Louis Commerce Center

CITY OF TALLAHASSEE, FL:Gaines Street Brownfield Area

2 — Brownfields Redevelopment: A Compedium of Case Studies,Volume I

INTRODUCTION

This book is a small compilation of brownfield redevelopmentsuccess stories throughout the nation.The case studies includedin this booklet are based on cities’ voluntary responses to a seriesof questions from our annual brownfields questionnaire regardingtheir experiences with redeveloping brownfield properties.

Cities included information about the site history, the type of con-tamination present, how they financed the project, what types ofredevelopment occurred, and what lessons they learned from theproject.

While there is not a single recipe for successful brownfields rede-velopment, these cases exhibit two common themes. First, citiesare most successful if they are able to utilize a variety of privateand public resources, including private investment and govern-ment programs at the local, state and federal levels. Second,through brownfields redevelopment, cities can reap significantenvironmental and economic benefits through site improvements,job creation and new commercial, industrial and residentialopportunities.

We wish to thank all of the cities and their staff for working onthis project and to encourage other cities to participate in futureeditions. If you have a success story that you would like to share,please contact Judy Sheahan or Ted Fischer of the Conferencestaff at 202-293-7330.

We hope you enjoy these case studies.


Project SummaryBuilt in the early twentiethcentury, Albuquerque’s historichigh school is among theCity’s most significant land-marks. From the 1970s, whenthe school district relocated,until the mid-1990s, the build-ings stood dormant, in dangerof falling into disuse and disre-pair. In 1996, the City inter-vened, purchased four build-ings, and launched the redevel-opment process.Environmental remediationstaff removed asbestos fromthe site, and the City is con-structing parking facilities.The buildings will now berefashioned as loft apartments,office spaces, and a restaurant.

Previous UseAlbuquerque’s historic highschool campus is among theCity’s most beloved places.Constructed between 1914 and1940, the school graduatedthousands of students andserved as Albuquerque’s onlyhigh school until 1940. Itsfive buildings are designatedCity Landmarks and appear inthe State Register of CulturalProperties and the NationalRegister of Historic Places.The school forms part of a his-toric zoning area managed bythe Albuquerque Landmarksand Urban ConservationCommission.

In the 1970s, the high schoolmoved from this site to anewer facility. The campusstood nearly vacant for 25years. Several developersattempted to find new func-tions for the buildings andraised community hopes thatthe campus could be pre-served. However, no singledeveloper succeeded until theCity launched this project byacquiring campus grounds(7.26 acres) and four of fiveschool buildings in 1996.

Remediation andRedevelopmentAfter purchasing campus prop-erty, the City published arequest for proposals for rede-velopment. The property hadno liens; clear title allowed theproject to move forwardsmoothly. Albuquerque select-ed Paradigm & Co. as thedeveloper and finalized anagreement with the companyon project deadlines and finan-cial arrangements in 1999.

The U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers (USACE), in astudy performed under theUSEPA Brownfields Program,determined that the site’s fri-able asbestos-containing mate-rials (ACMs) required abate-ment before renovation couldbegin. Samples from the site’sbuildings, floor tiles, boiler

CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM

Mayor Martin J. Chavez

tanks, pipe joints, pipe insulation,roofs, and acoustic soundproofingmaterials contained an estimated totalof 92,000 square feet plus an addi-tional 6,275 linear feet of ACMs.Potential disturbance of asbestosfibers posed a health risk for siteworkers, a risk exacerbated by sever-al broken windows through whichfibers could drift.

Two buildings required asbestosremediation. All buildings showedsigns of water damage and neededroof replacements. Remediation staffdemolished two non-historic build-ings, parts of the interior of the his-toric buildings, and exterior infra-structure, such as curbs and side-walks. The project team was alsoconcerned that an old undergroundheating tank might require abate-ment, but a geophysical investigationundertaken through the BrownfieldsProgram revealed that the tank hadalready been removed.

The school’s transformation is nearlycomplete. Former classroom andadministration buildings are now loftapartments. The school gymnasiumwill also become a loft apartmentbuilding; the developer plans to com-plete this renovation by 2005. Theformer library building will becomeoffice space. The fifth building hasremained in private ownership, and adeveloper has recently submittedplans to build a restaurant in theground floor and residential units onthe second and third levels. TheCity-owned campus grounds and theparking structure will soon be fin-ished.

FinancingCosts of this project included:• $2,000 to fund the geophysical sur-vey for underground storage tanks.• $14,000 to support the USACE sur-vey for airborne asbestos.

• $75,000 to remediate two campusbuildings.

The New Mexico MetropolitanRedevelopment Code grants munici-palities authority to create aMetropolitan Redevelopment (MR)Fund. Revenue generated throughthe tax increment method of financ-ing must be deposited in the MRfund. The MR Fund was the source ofacquisition funds for these properties.

Twelve million dollars of this pro-ject’s funding came from publicinvestments. Private lending institu-tions and the historic tax credit equityinvestment contributed the remainingapproximately $22 million. Phase Iand Phase II Environmental SiteAssessments were performed at thissite prior to the award of USEPABrownfield Program funding.Specific funding from USEPARegion 6 supported the undergroundstorage tanks survey and the USACEasbestos survey.

Albuquerque and Bernalillo Countyare joint recipients of a $1 millionUSEPA Brownfields CleanupRevolving Loan Fund. The U.S.Department of Commerce EconomicDevelopment Administration alsoawarded the City $1 million to coverpublic infrastructure improvementcosts related to this project.

Administrative ProcessAs defined in the development agree-ment, the City role in this project isnot only financial: the City mustensure that the project meets therequirements of the MetropolitanRedevelopment Plan. Other Cityroles include tracking financial com-mitments, attending constructionmeetings, and troubleshooting inter-nal City involvement such as utilityand planning issues.

Albuquerque Development Services,a redevelopment agency that is partof the City Planning Department,coordinates Albuquerque’sBrownfields Program.Redevelopment requires a substantialamount of communication and coor-dination with other City departmentsand agencies. Each project canbecome a vehicle for educating otherdepartments and agencies aboutbrownfields.

The City has needed to activelyengage the public in this project.When Albuquerque designated aMetropolitan Redevelopment Area,the State MetropolitanRedevelopment Act required the Cityto publish a public notice and hold ahearing for local property owners.Citizen advocacy for saving this sitewas extremely strong, and the com-munity continues to be active in theredevelopment activities for this siteand the surrounding area. This proj-ect has become catalyst for otherlocal redevelopment activities.

Lessons LearnedPerhaps the single most crucial factorin such a complex, expensive restora-tion project is broad-based communi-ty support, which translates intopolitical support, which, in turn,helps the city obtain financial supportfor administrative processes andplanning.

Contact InformationName: Meg RandallAddress: 2700 Central Ave. SW,Albuquerque, NM 87104Phone: 505-764-0037Fax: 505-764-1782Email: [email protected]: www.cabq.gov



Project SummaryThe North BoulevardImprovements Project is theBaton Rouge BrownfieldsProgram’s most publicly recog-nized success. Baton Rouge hasconverted an aging, blighted sec-tion of the city into a pedestrian-friendly downtown corridor.

Previous UseThe North Boulevard, in theheart of Baton Rouge’sBrownfield Target Area, was aclassic example of an older urbanarea whose commerce collapsedas the downtown populationshifted to newer, more suburbanparts of the city. Buildings dete-riorated, and the site developed areputation for crime and pollu-tion.

Remediation,Redevelopment, andFinancingA grant for $200,000 from theUSEPA AssessmentDemonstration Pilot Grantlaunched this project in October2000. Project design called forthe City-Parish to purchase lotsthat fronted on North Boulevard.The city identified 10 brownfieldlots along the Boulevard and sev-eral other properties containingunderground storage tanks thatrequired removal. The BatonRouge Brownfields Program con-

tributed $20,000 in grant fund-ing to support the Department ofPublic Works’ environmentalassessments. The PlanningCommission has recentlyreceived a $90,000 USTfieldsGrant, $80,000 of which willfund the lab work and disposalfees needed to cleanup under-ground storage tanks.

Administrative Processand Lessons LearnedThe City of Baton Rouge, Parishof East Baton Rouge PlanningCommission administers theBrownfields Program. NorthBoulevard was part of a City-Parish project. The City’sresources were available to sup-port unfunded brownfields rede-velopment issues such as demo-litions and land acquisition. Thecoordination of several City-Parish agencies made possiblethe end result: a revitalized,pedestrian-friendly, aestheticallypleasing corridor into down-town. With the support ofUSEPA grant funds, environ-mental planning has been recog-nized as a necessary means toachieve a comprehensive plan-ning goal.

The project sets an ideal exam-ple for the Baton RougeCommunity and for other citiesseeking to counteract urbansprawl with infill development

CITY OF BATON ROUGE, LAMayor Bobby Simpson

and downtown revitalization. Theproject demonstrates how federalfunds can be used in conjunctionwith city funding to achieve a largerrevitalization goal.

Contact InformationName: Tyson Hackenberg/AlisonGibbsAddress: 1755 Florida Street, ThirdFloor, Baton Rouge, LA 70821Phone: 225-389-3144Fax: 225-389-5342Email: [email protected]: www.ci.baton-rouge.la.us



Project SummaryIn 1996, the City of Dearbornlaunched a redevelopmentproject at the former SharonSteel annealing and picklingfacility, a degraded site in anotherwise valuable residentialneighborhood. After removingasbestos, petroleum, PCBs,and other environmental con-taminants from the site, theCity has re-zoned the propertyfor residential development,and a K-8 school has beenbuilt on the site.

Previous UseFor 57 years, the Sharon Steelsite was a steel annealing andpickling facility. In 1989, theSharon Steel Corporation filedfor bankruptcy and abandonedthe site. The property’s threebuildings, totaling 148,000square feet, were already indisrepair. When the U.S.Bankruptcy Court for WesternPennsylvania leased out theproperty for trucking and stor-age, the site deteriorated fur-ther and became an eyesore forthe surrounding community.

Remediation andRedevelopmentIn 1996, Dearborn helped formthe Downriver AreaBrownfield Consortium, aregional association of 10cities. The Consortiumobtained funding to performenvironmental assessments oncontaminated sites within

member communities, includ-ing the former Sharon Steelsite.

Assessment of the Sharon sitefound several on-site contami-nation sources—flooring andtransformers containing PCBs,asbestos roofing and pipewrap, heavy metals, and fiveunderground storage tankscontaining petroleum com-pounds. The assessmentresults allowed Dearborn toevaluate the feasibility of rede-velopment and determine thecleanup costs.

Because of its location, theCity considered the site idealfor single-family housing.Dearborn sought funding fromthe Michigan Department ofEnvironmental Quality’s(MDEQ) Site ReclamationGrant Program to supportenvironmental remediation anddemolition costs. The MDEQparticipated in initial projectdiscussions.

The City’s groundwork on theproject sparked developers’interest. NorthwindDevelopments, LLC purchasedthe property at an auction heldby the Bankruptcy Court.Northwind agreed to developthe site for residential use, andthe City pledged to providetechnical assistance and facili-tate Northwind’s applicationfor an MDEQ SiteReclamation Grant.

CITY OF DEARBORN, MIMayor Michael A. Guido

Financing andAdministrative ProcessThe City and Northwind obtainedfunding from the following sources:t The Michigan Department ofEnvironmental Quality, which pro-vided a $740,000 grant and a$294,925 loan.t The Brownfield RedevelopmentFinancing Act Tax IncrementFinancing (TIF) program, which hasbeen amended to allow project infra-structure costs to be reimbursed.

The City’s original grant applicationto MDEQ requested $1 million.However, MDEQ’s policy was tofund only commercial, and not resi-dential, development projects. InJanuary 2000, MDEQ indicated itcould fund the project at $293,000,the cost to remediate the site to anindustrial standard only.

Dearborn maintained that highdemand for residential property justi-fied extra public investment.Creating housing on the Sharon sitewould dramatically raise the propertyvalue, resulting in increased propertytax revenues. MDEQ reconsidered,and in June 2000, approved a$740,600 grant and a $294,925 loanto facilitate the project.

Demolition and remediation of thesite, which began in July 2000,uncovered additional contaminatedsoil that escaped notice during initialassessments. Under the City’s direc-tion, an environmental consultantprovided new cost estimates forremediation—$270,000. Afterreviewing budgets and project status,the project team determined thatremediation costs to complete theproject would be $260,000.

The City discussed the need for addi-tional funding with MDEQ and pre-pared a formal application requesting$259,400, an amount that wouldbring the MDEQ project contribution

to $1 million. MDEQ approvedadditional funding in January 2001.

The City and Northwind renegotiatedtheir agreements to factor in addition-al work and funding. In May 2001,the last load of contaminated soil wastrucked off-site.

One financing issue remains unre-solved. Via the TIF program, theCity planned to capture taxes result-ing from the boost in property valuesand use these revenues to repay proj-ect loans. However, the school sys-tem has taken the Sharon site by emi-nent domain. The school system andCity are now involved in legal nego-tiations to determine which party isresponsible for loan repayment.

Lessons LearnedWithout public investment, this sitewould not have been economicallyfeasible to redevelop. As a result ofthe City’s proactive involvement, thesite is ready for new development.

Contact InformationName: Aminia El-HusseiniAddress: 13615 Michigan Avenue,Dearborn, MI 48126Phone: 313-943-2180Fax: 313-943-2776Email:[email protected]: www.cityofdearborn.org



Project SummaryThe Airborne and SpecialOperations Museum (ASOM)represents a stunning successfor downtown revitalization inFayetteville. The ASOM proj-ect revived a deteriorated sec-tion of downtown by creating ahigh-profile museum surround-ed by gardens and open space.Public contributions and federal,state, local, and foundationgrants funded the multimilliondollar redevelopment. Themuseum has attracted 500,000visitors, who provide anincrease in downtown com-merce and revenues.

Previous UseThirty-six poorly maintainedbuildings in various stages ofdisrepair formerly stood on thecurrent museum site in down-town Fayetteville, adjacent tothe main North-South Amtrakrail line. Over the previous 50years, the site’s occupantsincluded the FayettevilleObserver newspaper, bars andnightclubs, small retail andcommercial businesses, gas sta-tions, vehicle repair businesses,taxi cab stations, homeless shel-ters run by religious groups, anda church.

Remediation andRedevelopmentThe Fayetteville Chamber of

Commerce and Fort Bragg firstdiscussed the project in theearly 1980s. Their intent was tocreate a world-class museumthat would honor the elite mili-tary associated with SpecialForces Operations. Fayetteville,home to both the 82nd Airborneand the Special Forces, seemedthe most natural choice for themuseum’s location. The muse-um would be sited at FortBragg.

However, unexpected infrastruc-ture costs and a decision by FortBragg to relocate halted theseplans. The City of Fayettevilleapproached the ASOMFoundation Board about build-ing the facility in downtownFayetteville.

In 1997, a grant from theUSEPA BrownfieldsAssessment Pilot programallowed Fayetteville to assessits downtown brownfields sitesfor their redevelopment poten-tial. The City purchased prop-erty for the museum for $2 mil-lion.

Approximately 25 of the newlyacquired buildings on the siteheld a total of 3,000 cubic yardsof Asbestos ContainingMaterials (ACMs) in parts ofthe floors, ceilings, roofs, andwalls. The site remediation

CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, NC

Mayor Marshall Pitts, Jr.

crew tested these structures for con-tamination and developed abatementspecifications for removing ACMsbefore demolishing the buildings.Site staff transported ACMs to aSubtitle D-regulated landfill viasealed trucks and PVC bags.Several buildings had small heatingoil tanks, and two contained commer-cial-sized gasoline and diesel fueltanks. Remediation staff also foundfour underground storage tanks. Theproject team excavated tanks and anycontaminated soils around them,drained all tanks, and delivered themto a metals recycling facility.Petroleum-contaminated soils weretreated through land application.

The 8.5-acre museum site includes a MemorialGarden and a parade area for troop formationsand ceremonies. The museum building housesexhibits and displays, a theater and simulator, andhistorically accurate military equipment. Eachy e a r, the museum attracts hundreds of thousandsof visitors who contribute an estimated $60 mil-lion annually to the local economy.

The transformation of a blighted siteto a high-profile museum has kindlednew downtown commerce and rede-velopment. Surrounding businesseshave upgraded and refurbished theirfacilities. Plans for new mixed-usehousing and additional retail andcommercial businesses are in motion.Fayetteville is pushing forward withits winning redevelopment strategies.The City’s “Renaissance Plan” nowcalls for a new $5 million amphithe-ater project two blocks from themuseum and a $30 million ArtsComplex, scenic pathways, and biketrails nearby.

FinancingFinancing has been this project’sgreatest challenge. The redevelop-ment could only move forward afterthe City committed to obtaining theproperties through condemnation and

agreed to loan funds to the ASOMFoundation. Project funding included:• A USEPA Brownfields

Assessment Pilot Grant($200,000), which funded a plan-ning study to inventory andassess redevelopment potential ofbrownfields sites.

• $4 million in 1992 from the U.S.Congress.

• $4 million from the NorthCarolina General Assembly.

• $800,000 from CumberlandCounty.

• $2 million from the City ofFayetteville to purchase the prop-erty.

• A $3 million grant and $4.5 mil-lion loan to the ASOMFoundation from the City ofFayetteville.

• Grants from the PerotFoundation, which contributed $1million, and several other privatefoundations.

• Donations by private citizens,businesses, and military associa-tions.

The City of Fayetteville, CumberlandCounty, and the U.S. Army continueto provide annual funding for operat-ing expenses and general mainte-nance.

Administrative ProcessThe Department of Environment andNatural Resources of the State ofNorth Carolina had approval authori-ty over all permits associated withasbestos abatement and undergroundstorage tank removal. Fayettevilleutilized part of the USEPABrownfields Pilot funding to conducta Phase I Environmental SiteAssessment on one of the propertiesthat was obtained through the con-demnation process. There was noneed to use the State VoluntaryCompliance Program or otherUSEPA Brownfields Initiatives.

Gaining public acceptance for themuseum’s downtown location hasbeen a challenge. City Council meet-ings allowed local citizens to voicetheir concerns over the City’s finan-cial commitments to this project. Aseries of newspaper articles toutedproject benefits and helped win overpublic opinion. The ASOMFoundation Board spearheaded acommunity-wide funding drive, andlocal volunteers devoted thousands ofhours to assist in fundraising.

Lessons LearnedThis project continues to generatesuccess stories and acclaim. Themuseum provides a boost to localcommerce and downtown redevelop-ment, and supports 17 paid employ-ees and nearly 100 volunteers. Themomentum created by the museum’ssuccess will fuel downtown improve-ments for years.

Community involvement has beenkey to accomplishing this project.The museum has heightened commu-nity pride and attracted over 500,000visitors from all 50 states and 70 for-eign countries.

Contact InformationName: Craig HamptonAddress: 433 Hay Street,Fayetteville, NC 28301Phone: 910-433-1786Fax: 910-433-1784Email: [email protected]: cityoffayetteville.org



Project SummaryThe City of Gainesville is trans-forming a former rail yard andindustrial area into a communitypark with walking paths, arestored historic train depot,playgrounds, an amphitheater, askate park, and picnic facilities.Two constructed ponds withinthe park will filter pollutantsfrom stormwater via naturalprocesses.

Previous UseThe Depot Regional StormwaterPark will occupy a former CSXCorporation freight and passen-ger rail yard and a wholesalebulk fuels facility that laterbecame a retail gasoline fillingstation. Several former smallindustrial sites fall within theproperty, including a warehouse,mill, and box factory.

A coal gasification plant operatedin the area from the 1880s until1953 and discharged coal tar intothe rail yard.

An abandoned rail corridor cross-es one section of the site. Therest of the property is partiallywooded and contains low-gradewetlands. The site has been idlesince the late 1950s.

In December 2001, CSX sold a25-acre parcel, including the railcorridor, to the City during a

lengthy negotiated sale. Thecity acquired the 12-acre GasDepot by eminent domain inMarch 2002.

Remediation andRedevelopmentWith input from citizens,Gainesville created a new visionfor the site: a 30-acre stormwa-ter treatment park with two con-structed ponds, rail trails, walk-ing paths, a restored historictrain depot, children’s playareas, an amphitheater, a skatepark, and picnic facilities.

The ponds will remove sedi-ments, attenuate pollutantswashed from City streets, andreduce stormwater flows. Plasticliners in the pond basins willprevent contaminants in surfacewater from moving into ground-water. An interceptor pipe willdirect stormwater that currentlyflows into Sweetwater Branch tothe new basins. The basins willdrain into Sweetwater Branch,which feeds the Alachua Sink inPaynes Prairie State Preserve.Project staff will plant nativevegetation in and around theponds—bald cypress, Floridamaples, soft rush, and spikerush.

Environmental Site Assessmentsto determine the impacts of coaltar and other site contaminants

CITY OF GAINESVILLE, FLMayor Pegeen Hanrahan

began prior to 1999. By 2001, theCity had completed Phase I, II, andIII Assessments. Since 2001, theCity has conducted more detailedanalyses of the project’s impacts ongroundwater.

Gainesville now awaits acceptance ofa state-mandated Risk Assessmentand Feasibility Study from theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection and the Alachua CountyEnvironmental ProtectionDepartment. Once these agenciesapprove the study, the City can pro-ceed with a Remedial Action Plan.

The Florida Department ofEnvironmental Protection completedcleanup of petroleum-affected soil onan adjoining parcel at the Gas Depotfacility as part of the state’sPetroleum Cleanup Program. Coaltar cleanup at the Park will finish inearly 2006.

FinancingGainesville appropriated more than$3 million for project land acquisi-tions, assessments, and design. TheCity-owned Gainesville RegionalUtilities will commit between $8 mil-lion and $10 million to clean coal tarcontamination. The former propertyowners have been released from lia-bility and will not contribute to sitecleanup.

The City is securing an additional$12 million in state and federal grantmonies to construct stormwater andpark facilities. The City has alreadyreceived two $200,000 grants forassessment work, one from theUSEPA and the second from theFlorida Office of Tourism, Trade, andEconomic Development. Gainesvillehas also obtained voluntary cleanuptax credits through the FloridaBrownfields Redevelopment

Program. These credits can be soldon the open market.

Administrative ProcessThe City is actively involved in theFlorida Brownfields RedevelopmentProgram. Gainesville has establisheda brownfield area under Section 376Florida Statutes and executed twoBrownfield Site RehabilitationAgreements (BSRAs).

The City has primary leadership overthis project. Gainesville RegionalUtilities, the Public WorksDepartment, and the CommunityRedevelopment Agency providestaffing for project management.

City staff work with the EastGainesville SPROUT (Success isPeople Renewing Our Under-utilizedTerrain) Project Task Force, a citizenadvisory committee formed by theCity Commission in 1998 to developproject policy recommendations. TheTask Force has participated in deci-sions ranging from land acquisitionto remediation and design.

Lessons LearnedBased on Gainesville’s experience, acity involved in redevelopmentshould consider these factors:• Projects often take longer and

cost more to complete than ini-tially anticipated.

• Public input into the redevelop-ment process is extremely valu-able.

• Finding a dedicated and experi-enced staff team with relevantskills to manage the project isessential.

• The backing of citizens and localgovernment policy makersshould be obtained before initiat-ing the project.

• Linking public benefits to physi-

cal improvement projects whendefining the brownfield initiativecan be an effective strategy.

Contact InformationName: Matthew DubeAddress: Station 48, P. O. Box 490,Gainesville, FL 32602-0490Phone: 352-334-5029Fax: 352-334-2132Email: [email protected]:www.state.fl.us/gvl/index.new.html



Project SummaryThrough the City of Jackson’sbrownfield initiatives, a drycleaners property and a formerlandfill have been transformedinto a new Festival Park and apolice museum and substation.

Previous UseLefleur’s Landing, a 115-acre siteon the Pearl River, was a landfilluntil environmental regulationsshut down its operations twentyyears ago. The site contains aformer incineration and asphaltplant, repair/paint shop, and refu-eling station.

Simon’s Dry Cleaners in theHistorical Farish Street Districthas also been closed for morethan twenty years.

Jackson owns the LeFleur’s siteand has a long-term lease withthe Jackson RedevelopmentAuthority for use of the DryCleaners property.

Remediation andRedevelopmentThe Phase II Assessment forSimon's Dry Cleaners began in2000 under the USEPABrownfields Pilot DemonstrationProgram and was completed in2002 under the oversight of theUSEPA Brownfields ShowcaseCommunities Project. Theassessment work did not uncover

any contaminants associatedwith dry cleaning operations, butdid find lead and asbestos,byproducts of the building’sconstruction. Environmentalstaff removed and disposed ofboth contaminants under thewatchful eye of the MississippiDepartment of EnvironmentalQuality. A ribbon-cutting cere-mony in June this year markedthe successful completion of theSimon’s project and the openingof Jackson’s new police substa-tion, which houses the BicyclePatrol, and a museum that hon-ors the work of the local policedepartment.

LeFleur’s Landing is also near-ing completion. The projectteam implemented Phase IIEnvironmental Site Assessmentsin 2002 and 2003.Contaminated soil from the sta-tion will be removed and landfarmed this year. The propertywill be sealed with a three-footcap prior to the beginning ofredevelopment to prevent therelease of contaminants into soiland groundwater.

The Conceptual Master Plan forthe Festival Park at LeFleur’shas been developed. Once con-struction documents are ready,the City will award a construc-tion contract. Constructionshould begin two weeks after thecontract award.

CITY OF JACKSON, MS

Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr.

FinancingCosts for Phase I and IIEnvironmental Site Assessments are$125,000 and $40,000 at Simon’s andLeFleur’s Landing respectively.Remediation will cost $2 million atLeFleur’s Landing and $1 million atthe Simon’s site.

Project funding comes from severalsources:• The Region 5 USEPA Office and

the Army Corps of Engineershave collaborated to providefunds for Phase I and IIEnvironmental Assessments atLeFleur’s Landing.

• The Housing and UrbanDevelopment EconomicDevelopment Initiative has pro-vided support for site architectur-al and engineering services andremediation activities.

• The USEPA provided $2,000 infunding to the City to participatein the Voluntary CleanupProgram through the BrownfieldShowcase Communities Project.

• The City has planned to financeremediation and administer theMayor’s Brownfields Initiativethrough general fund appropria-tions.

Jackson does not currently participatein revolving loan programs. TheCity, county, and state do not offerincentives for brownfields redevelop-ment.

Administrative ProcessCommunity input played a key rolein the City’s site selection. Festivalplanners, businesses, and other com-munity stakeholders were vocal inurging the City to choose LeFleur’sLanding for redevelopment as aFestival Park.

The Brownfields RedevelopmentInitiative falls under the auspices ofthe Mayor’s Brownfield Initiative.

The Mayor appointed a Director tooversee the brownfield redevelop-ment process in the City of Jackson.

Under the Brownfield Initiative, theCity has recently formed aBrownfield Redevelopment AdvisoryCouncil (BRAC) to provide inputinto site identification, assessment,and redevelopment. BRAC alsoassists with outreach through com-munity meetings and forums. Localstakeholders comprise BRAC—rep-resentatives from businesses, finan-cial, medical, and educational institu-tions; faith-based organizations; eco-nomic development commissions andboards; non-profit organizations;neighborhood associations; and artsand cultural groups.

Site reclamation of the former DryCleaners is one step in a long-rangeplan to revitalize the Historical FarishStreet District.

Lessons LearnedTo launch an effective brownfieldsinitiative, one must communicateamong federal, state, and local actors;facilitate thorough understanding ofthe redevelopment process among allinvolved; provide incentives forproperty owners; allow for communi-ty input; and secure adequate fundingto support the redevelopment.

Contact InformationName: LaVonne McGeeAddress: 219 S. President Street, P.O.Box 17, Jackson, MS 39205Phone: 601-960-1084Fax: 601-960-2193Email: [email protected]: www.city.jackson.ms.us



Project SummaryThe City of Lansing has chosentwo sites for redevelopment: aformer commercial property anda coal storage yard abandoned bya local power provider. The Citywill clean up the sites’ soil andgroundwater contaminants andbuild a parking facility.

Previous UseBoth sites chosen for develop-ment lie in Lansing’s downtowncenter. In the early 20th century,the site that is now the TriangleProperty contained single-familyresidential housing. In 1921,commercial development beganon the site. Occupants included apackinghouse, a blacksmith, apaint shop, and a commercial sta-ble. From the early 1950sthrough the 1970s, filling sta-tions, a dry cleaning business,auto service stations, auto salesbusinesses, a chrome-platingshop, warehouses, and vehicleparking stood on the site.Through a Lansing BuildingAuthority bond issue, the Cityacquired the parcels and mergedthem into a single propertyaround 1990. The city main-tained the site for surface parkingfor many years with the intent toredevelop it for more intensiveuses.

The coal storage yard lies slight-ly north of the Triangle Property.

A local power provider aban-doned the site, and over time,the unused piles of coal leachedinto soil and groundwater.

Remediation andRedevelopment StagesIn 2000, Lansing distributed anationwide Request forQualifications & Proposals toredevelop the Triangle Property.The City’s original plan for thesite called for mixed-use devel-opment, including retail busi-ness, offices, and residences.The developers who won theCity’s contract, Granger Groupof Lansing and FergusonDevelopment, went one step fur-ther: they proposed not only toconvert the Triangle Propertyinto a major office development(approximately 100,000 squarefeet), but also to redevelop thenearby former coal storage yardas an 80- to 100-unit luxuryhigh-rise and town home com-plex.

The City is currently in theprocess of revising theDevelopment Agreements. TheState of Michigan is the targetedtenant for the Triangle site. TheCity expects the development ofthe coal storage yard to moveforward before the Triangle site.Project staff hopes that revisedagreements and a revisedBrownfield Redevelopment Plan

CITY OF LANSING, MIMayor Tony Benavides

can be approved by the Lansing CityCouncil and the Lansing BrownfieldRedevelopment Authority Boardprior to the end of 2004.

FinancingProject finances come from severalsources:• The developers are seeking approxi-

mately $50 million in privateinvestment to fund constructionand redevelopment at both sites.

• The City plans to issue bonds tofinance the construction of aparking facility, with an estimat-ed cost of $15 million.

• Under the Brownfields AssessmentPilot program, the USEPAawarded approximately $200,000to the Lansing BrownfieldRedevelopment Authority(LBRA) to identify 83 brown-field sites in the City and conductsite assessments. A portion ofthis grant has financed assess-ment at the Triangle Property andcoal storage yard.

• The LBRA created a BrownfieldRedevelopment Plan for theseproperties and will recapture thefunds expended on assessmentwork via tax increment revenuegenerated from the redevelop-ment of the site. This moneywill then be placed in theLBRA’s revolving fund for useon future projects.

Under the state brownfield plan, thedevelopers are also eligible toapply to the State of Michiganfor approximately $5 million intax credits against the MichiganSingle Business Tax.

Administrative ProcessThe Lansing BrownfieldRedevelopment Authority overseesLansing’s brownfield redevelopmentstrategies and actively promotes theCity’s brownfield incentives. The

LBRA is housed within the City’sEconomic Development Corporation(EDC) office, which is managed bythe City’s Planning & NeighborhoodDevelopment Department. MayorTony Benavides holds a seat on theLBRA and EDC Board of Directors.

Lessons LearnedThe LBRA has achieved a number ofsuccesses, each very different inplanning and implementation.LBRA’s projects have been enor-mously valuable to the City in diver-sifying the community and attractingbusinesses. In general, the easiestprojects have been those where theproperty owner will occupy the rede-veloped space. Larger, more com-plex projects tend to take more time.The larger the project becomes, theharder it is to predict when develop-ment will take place.

Contact InformationName: Patricia A. CookAddress: 309 N. Washington Square,Suite 016, Lansing, MI 48933Phone: 517-483-4140Fax: 517-783-6057Email: [email protected]: www.cityoflansingmi.com



Project SummaryThe City of Lewiston is modern-izing the historic Bates MillComplex, a former New Englandtextiles mill that fell into disusein the early twentieth century.Nearly $40 million of public andprivate monies are supportingsite assessment, remediation, andimprovement.

Previous UseThe Bates Mill Complex is a 1.2-million square foot cluster ofmore than a dozen buildings thatdominate Lewiston’s downtownarchitecture. When decline ofthe New England textile industryleft most of the Complex unoccu-pied, property owners could notmaintain their tax payments, anda tax lien was placed on theproperty.

To save a few remaining jobs atthe Mill, the City acquired thecomplex in 1922. Since acquisi-tion, the City has promoted rede-velopment of the site for use bycommercial, industrial, retail,recreational, and service sectorbusinesses.

Remediation andRedevelopmentPhase I and Phase IIEnvironmental Site Assessments

revealed the presence of pol-yaromatic hydrocarbons, metals,PCBs, volatile organic com-pounds (VOCs), petroleum prod-ucts, lead, and asbestos. Afterthe Phase I Assessment, theUSEPA removed PCBs,asbestos, and leaking storagedrums under the Superfund pro-gram.

A local developer’s interest inthree of the mill buildings hasgalvanized the remediationprocess. USEPA guidelinesrequired the City to produce anengineering evaluation/costanalysis prior to remediation.Remediation activities began inthe fall of 2002 and are nearlycomplete. Only minor lead andasbestos abatement activitiesremain unfinished.

The developer now owns threeBates Mill buildings and is leas-ing space within them to othertenants. Lewiston will retainownership of Mill Building No.5, with the long-term goal ofestablishing a regional confer-ence center there. The develop-er will soon take ownership offour additional buildings. TheCity is encouraging other devel-opers to purchase the remainingbuildings by providing zero-per-cent and low interest loans.

CITY OF LEWISTON, MEMayor Lionel C. Guay, Jr.

FinancingSupport for this project has comefrom:• The USEPA Superfund program,

which carried out a $387,000 sitecleanup.

• A grant of $275,000 from theUSEPA Brownfields AssessmentProgram.

• A grant of $500,000 from theUSEPA for a Revolving LoanFund pilot.

• A contribution of $1.8 millionfrom the U.S. Department ofCommerce EconomicDevelopment Administration tosupport site improvements.

• An investment of nearly $5.7million by the Department ofHousing and Urban DevelopmentCommunity Development BlockGrant and EconomicDevelopment Initiative programs.

• A contribution of $200,000 fromthe United States Department ofAgriculture (USDA) for con-struction of a parking garagethrough its Rural EnterpriseGrant program.

To date, the City’s investment totalsover $14 million, and private invest-ment has contributed $17 million.

The City carries liability insurancefor site properties and requests con-tractors who work on site to obtaintheir own liability coverage.

Administrative ProcessThe Bates Mill Project is a funda-mental step in fulfilling Lewiston’sDowntown Urban Master Plan andthe goals and objectives of itsEnterprise Community, recognizedunder the USDA Rural CommunityEmpowerment Program.

The City of Lewiston serves as theoverall project coordinator and haspartnered with community groups

and public agencies to complete siteassessment and remediation. TheCity also held stakeholder meetingsto involve downtown businesses, citi-zens’ groups, and neighborhood asso-ciations in the redevelopmentprocess. The Maine Department ofEnvironmental Protection andUSEPA’s Region 1 office have pro-vided technical assistance. Throughsuch partnerships, the Bates Millproject has built a network of organi-zations with the common goal ofredevelopment and city revitalization.

The City created the Lewiston MillRedevelopment Corporation(LMRC), an administrative councilthat aggressively pursues brownfieldsredevelopment, assists in appropriat-ing project funds, and seeks creativeways to attract businesses. TheLMRC hired a property manager tooversee project operations.

Bates Mill now houses manufactur-ing, wholesale distribution, educa-tional, cultural, entertainment, high-tech, retail, and back-room operationscenters. In 1992, the City successful-ly secured a major bank as a tenant.Since its launch, the redevelopmentproject has created more than 1,200new jobs. On completion, the Cityestimates the project will have pro-duced 5,000 jobs.

The project is renovating buildingsfrom the inside out in order to retainas many of the existing structures aspossible. The complex will combinenineteenth century architecture andsolid construction with access totwenty-first century technology,financing, and opportunity.

Lessons LearnedGenerating revenues and creatingactivity at the Bates Mill Complexhas been crucial to Lewiston’s overalldowntown revitalization plans.However, in future projects, the citywould recommend creating better

loan packaging options, strongerunderwriting standards, and develop-ing a stronger plan for site usesbefore prematurely leasing to tenants.

A project of this size can generateenormous unanticipated costs. TheCity would certainly consider otherprojects of similar size, but in thefuture, Lewiston will be better pre-pared to handle unforeseen complexi-ties.

Contact InformationName: Alyson StoneAddress: 27 Pine Street, Lewiston,ME 04240Phone: 207-784-2951Fax: 207-795-5071Email: [email protected]: http://ci.lewiston.me.us



Project SummaryThe City of Moline is revitalizingBass Street Landing, a riverfrontbrownfield site. Project staff hasassessed the site’s environmentalcontamination. When remedia-tion is complete, the City willconvert the site into commercialand residential developments anda public plaza.

Previous UseThe Bass Street Landing siteconsists of several propertiesnear the Mississippi River.Between 1899 and 1991, the siteserved a variety of residential,commercial, and industrial uses,and housed the Moline CastStone Company (1920 – 1949),the Aluminum CastingsCompany (1955 – 1960),Montgomery Elevator PartsStorage (1950s), a private garage,a scrap yard, a theater, a hard-ware shop, and a woodworkingshop.

Most of the buildings on the sitehad been demolished when theCity acquired the property in1991. The City removed allremaining structures, except fortwo historic buildings that havebeen integrated into the redevel-opment.

Remediation and RedevelopmentRedevelopment of this siteoccurred simultaneously with an

expansion project at the adjacentMoline Water Plant in 2000 and2001. Primary funding for BassStreet Landing came fromCommunity Development BlockGrant Funds from the U.S.Department of CommerceEconomic DevelopmentAdministration.

After Moline acquired the BassStreet Landing site, the City sub-mitted a Remedial ObjectivesReport, outlining City develop-ment goals for the site followingits remediation, to the IllinoisEnvironmental ProtectionAgency (IEPA).

The IEPA approved a plan for a2001 Site Investigation of boththe water plant and Bass StreetLanding. Project environmentalassessment staff sampledgroundwater and soil boringsand conducted vapor monitoringto determine soil concentrationsof volatile organic compounds(VOCs). Moline hired consult-ant Missman Stanley &Associates to design a site-spe-cific groundwater investigationplan.

On completion of the remedia-tion, the city will provide theIEPA with a Remedial ActionCompletion Report that demon-strates the site’s compliance withenvironmental requirements.

CITY OF MOLINE, ILMayor Stanley F. Leach

Moline will develop the property forresidential and commercial use. Theproject’s centerpiece is a public plazathat will feature fountains, a seasonalice rink, public space, and outdoordining. Plaza construction will beginin late 2004.

Lessons LearnedThe Bass Street LandingRedevelopment will produce signifi-cant benefits for Moline. The City’stransformation of the site will dra-matically increase property tax rev-enues. The project will revitalize theriverfront, promote local economicgrowth, and enhance the area’s aes-thetic character.

Contact Information Name: Jeff AndersonAddress: 619 16th Street, Moline, IL61265Phone: 309-797-0490Fax: 309-797-0479Email: [email protected]: n/a



Project SummaryAs part of its DowntownRevitalization Strategy, theVillage of Palatine has convertedvacant brownfield property intocondominiums.

Previous UseLocated in the northwest cornerof Palatine’s downtown planningarea, the project site originallyheld a gasoline and service sta-tion and later contained a single-family house and dry cleanersshop. In 1999, the owners hadleft the properties vacant, aban-doned, and in poor condition.

Remediation andRedevelopmentIn June 2000, Palatine’sDowntown Land Use Guide rec-ommended an overhaul for thissite: redevelopment as condo-miniums. The Village encouragedlocal developers to acquire theproperty. Wellington Partnerssecured contracts to purchase thesite in 2001 under the provisionthat the firm would acquire cityzoning approvals. An agreementreached between Wellington andPalatine required the Village tocover environmental remediationcosts, not to exceed $400,000.

In September 2000, the develop-ment team won an IllinoisEnvironmental ProtectionAgency Brownfields

Redevelopment Grant to fund upto 70 percent of environmentalassessment and remediation.Palatine hired the consultingfirm Envirogen to manage thegrant and to facilitate the siteremediation.

In August 2001, Envirogen com-pleted a Comprehensive SiteInvestigation Report. Theassessment team found chlori-nated solvents and various soilcontaminants associated withdry cleaning and undergroundstorage tank leakage. The rede-velopment strategy planned toreuse parts of an original build-ing foundation. Therefore, onlysome of the contaminated soilcould be removed. Project engi-neers injected a hydrogen-releas-ing compound into soils remain-ing around the foundation. Thiscompound accelerated break-down of any lingering contami-nants into chemicals that are lessenvironmentally damaging. Theteam also installed a series ofunderground bulkheads meant toprevent site groundwater fromcarrying contaminants into watersupplies and aquifers.

The Village of Palatine has nowentirely remediated the site andbuilt 43 condominium units, allof which are currently occupied.Phase II of this project will usestate Underground Storage Tank

VILLAGE OF PALATINE, ILMayor Rita L. Mullins

funds to remediate a nearby formerservice station site.

FinancingThis development project was fundedthrough:• Private financing from Wellington

Partners.• The State of Illinois Brownfields

Redevelopment Grant.• The Village’s Tax Increment

Financing (TIF) District. The below-market rate sale of the

property by its original ownersalso made the project moreaffordable.

Administrative ProcessThe Community DevelopmentDepartment leads The Village ofPalatine’s brownfields redevelopmentefforts with assistance from theMayor’s Administration and thePublic Works Department. Thisinterdepartmental team distributesinformation and identifies resourcesavailable for brownfields. The teamreports directly to the VillageManager, and ultimately to theVillage Council.

Lessons LearnedDesignating a redevelopment andremediation team early in the processhas been key to this project’s success.The Village created the TIF Districtand determined that remediationfunds would be available. Palatinethen identified a developer, created adevelopment plan, and obtained grantfunds. Once the project team wasassembled, the redevelopment couldprogress quickly.

Several other strategies can strength-en a redevelopment project’s effica-cy:• Thorough planning prior to envi-

ronmental remediation canensure the new use will begin onthe site as soon as the remedia-tion is completed.

• The individual site should beredeveloped as part of a largeroverall strategy. Having a visionfor redevelopment fosters betterunderstanding and support fromcitizens and elected officials.

• Multiple funding sources, includ-ing state, local, and private sup-port, can make a project morefinancially viable.

Contact InformationName: David FieldmanAddress: 200 E. Wood Street,Palatine, IL 60067Phone: 847-359-9047Fax: 847-776-4733Email: [email protected]: www.palatine.il.us



Project Summary

The City of Rome partnered withprivate landowners to redevelopa section of the former EastRome Business Park. The Citydemolished buildings containingasbestos, removed contaminatedsoils, and constructed a roadallowing better access to the site.

Previous Use

The Rome Tube Company firstbuilt a casting and pickling facili-ty on the site in the late 1800s.In 1904, the Electric Wire Works(later Rome Wire Company) con-structed a wire manufacturingplant on the site’s northwest sec-tion. After 1920, the Rome WireCompany and its successor,General Cable, used the site formachining, stamping and draw-ing, plating, pickling, and coatingwire materials with rubber,asbestos, and paints. GeneralCable abandoned the site in1972. The local nonprofitCommunity Chest obtained titleto the property, subdividing itamong several owners. Until thelate 1990s, a total of 17 differentprivate landowners held sectionsof the site’s 200 acres. However,the site remained relativelyunused and undesirable until1996. The majority of the site ispaved and contains many aban-doned buildings and facilities.

One fourth of the residents fromneighborhoods surrounding thePark fall below the nationalpoverty line. The unemploy-ment rate of this area, 11 per-cent, is twice as high as Rome’soverall rate.

Remediation andRedevelopmentThrough a public-private part-nership with the site’s 18 proper-ty owners, the City of Rome haslaunched a project to redevelopthe former Business Park forcommercial and light industrialuse. The City chose this area forits accessibility, its existing utili-ties and infrastructure, its poten-tial for use by neighboringindustrial businesses seeking toexpand, and because of concernsexpressed by surrounding resi-dential communities.

In 1996, the City forged the firstpartnership: Charles Gaetano,the owner of a 17-acre core par-cel, allowed city staff to assessenvironmental contamination onhis property. During the City’sinvestigation, the owner subdi-vided the property into sevenparcels and deeded one to thecity. Gaetano has remediatedthe remaining parcels (14 acres)under the Voluntary CleanupProgram.

CITY OF ROME, NYMayor James F. Brown


Following these successes, a secondlandowner donated 2.6 acres to theredevelopment project, and the Cityrecently acquired an additional four-acre parcel. These properties, com-bined with the 17 acres that havealready undergone cleanup, form a23.6-acre core area that will bedeveloped for commercial and lightindustrial use.

Phase II Environmental SiteAssessments on the core propertiesuncovered several forms of contami-nation. Process equipment, tanks,sumps, and drains contained petrole-um products. Oil spills, elevatedconcentrations of heavy metals, coaltar, purified box waste, asbestos, andPCBs affected soils, buildings, andfacilities aboveground. Chlorinatedcompounds had seeped into ground-water. Leaking storage tanks andspills had released coal tar and petro-leum hydrocarbons belowground. Toremove contaminants, environmentalstaff demolished buildings and foun-dations and removed subsurface utili-ties and contaminated soil. Thisenvironmental cleanup allowed thecity to construct an access road andinstall new utilities on the site.

The City is now working with theother owners of the remaining 179acres to redevelop the entire 200-acreformer General Cable site as a mod-ern business park.

Financing andAdministrative ProcessThe City of Rome sought financialsupport for the preparation of rede-velopment plans, the construction ofan improved access road, installationof upgraded utilities, and environ-mental assessment and remediation.

Financing came from:• The City of Rome Community

Development Block Grant:$120,000 for the Redevelopment

Plan, $52,916 for theEnvironmental Site Assessmentson private property, and $1 mil-lion for remediation on city prop-erty.

• The USEPA Brownfields SiteAssessment Pilot Program:$200,000 for the EnvironmentalSite Assessments on city proper-ty.

• The New York State Departmentof Environmental ConservationClean Water/Clean Air Bond Act:$332,234 for the EnvironmentalSite Assessments and $1.8 mil-lion for remediation of city prop-erty.

• The New York State Departmentof Transportation IndustrialAccess Program: $939,118 foraccess road construction.

• The U.S. Department of Housingand Urban Development ErieCanal Corridor Initiative:$55,000 for access road construc-tion.

• The New York State EmpireState Development: $180,000grant and a $120,000 loan tofund utilities installation.

• Donations of property by privatelandowners.

Other key stakeholders included theCity of Rome Planning Departmentand the residential community sur-rounding the former General Cable,who first urged the city to address theblight created by the site’s deteriorat-ed structures.

Lessons LearnedSeveral factors have been critical tothis project’s success:• Addressing the concerns of local

citizens and involving the public.• Securing the cooperation of pri-

vate landowners to gain access tothe interior of the property.

• Upgrading existing utilities.

Liability insurance was also essentialand was obtained via the 1996Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act.The developer also received lim-ited liability protection under theVoluntary Cleanup Program.

Contact InformationName: City of Rome - PlanningDepartmentAddress: 198 N Washington Street,Rome, NY 13440Phone: 315-339-7643Fax: 313-339-7788Email: N/AWebsite: N/A


Project SummaryIn 1992, St. Louis launched a 10-year initiative to convert 20 acresof degraded urban space and for-mer industrial facilities into theSt. Louis Commerce Center—aproject that creates 487,000square-feet of new downtownoffice, distribution, and ware-housing space. The project’ssuccess has spurred communityinterest in downtown revitaliza-tion: millions of dollars havesince been invested in additionaldowntown projects, creatingthousands of new jobs.

Previous UseThe site that is now The St.Louis Commerce Center, north-west of the downtown centralbusiness district, once sat in avital part of the City’s north com-mercial and industrial zone, anarea that provided hundreds ofwell-paying jobs for the entireregion. In the 1875 PictorialHistory of the City, this areaappears as a densely populatedseries of city blocks lined withrow houses and dotted withchurches. In the 1920s, factoriesbegan to replace these residentialbuildings.

Over the past half-century, thearea’s major businesses haveincluded a large pharmaceuticalcompany, an electroplating facili-ty, a foundry, and automotive

repair shops. The site and itsneighboring properties housed14 junkyards, 11 dry-cleaningfacilities, seven filling stations,and four large industrial facili-ties. However, when the St.Louis population followed thenational trend of immigrating tothe suburbs, many of these busi-nesses relocated or closed. Bythe 1980s, when the citylaunched an aggressive redevel-opment plan, the area haddegenerated into an eyesore fullof vacant lots, abandoned build-ings, and isolated businesses.

Remediation andRedevelopmentA 20-acre property was chosenas St. Louis’s new CommerceCenter site. The locationallowed the construction ofClass A light industrial space ata strategic point near the cross-roads of four interstate highwaysand the downtown central busi-ness district.

Addressing state and federalstandards and developer con-cerns regarding environmentalcleanup has been a significantundertaking. The redevelopmentteam excavated more than 20underground storage tanks andremoved over 50,000 square feetof asbestos-containing materials,as well as mercury-containinglight bulbs and light ballasts.

CITY OF SAINT LOUIS, MOMayor Francis G. Slay


Demolition debris from the implosionof one of the larger structures con-tained elevated levels of lead and washauled off-site for disposal.

Historical activities on the site hadcontaminated soil and groundwater.Project staff removed roughly 20,000tons of soil containing petroleumconstituents, metals, benzene, andmethylene chloride. Groundwatertested at the site also contained petro-leum, benzene, and chlorinated sol-vents.

The state’s Department of NaturalResources (DNR) approved severalinnovative cleanup methods for thisproject’s remediation process.Environmental staff has used engi-neering controls, such as capping, toreduce environmental risk and isimplementing institutional controls,including restrictions on types of useallowed at the site. Environmentalstaff determined groundwater con-taminants could be effectivelyreduced through natural chemical andecosystem attenuation processes.The project team continues to moni-tor the effectiveness of these treat-ment strategies for areas of ground-water contamination. The DNR alsoallowed lead-contaminated soils to betreated with a fixative, which permit-ted their disposal classified as specialwaste rather than as hazardous waste.

FinancingThe following federal, state, andlocal incentives helped offset thefinancial risks of this project:• A $200,000 grant from the

USEPA Brownfields AssessmentDemonstration Pilot Programfunded early assessment of infra-structure and environmental con-ditions.

• The city Economic DevelopmentAuthority (EDA) and the privatedeveloper received $1 million in

transferable state tax creditsthrough the State’s Departmentof Economic DevelopmentBrownfields RedevelopmentProgram. This program providesstate tax credits to reimburse upto 100 percent of eligible remedi-ation costs, based on the project-ed generation of new jobs.

• Through a liability agreement,the City EDA set aside the saleproceeds from the land, with thefunds earmarked for site remedi-ation and development activities.

The environmental consultant anddeveloper also negotiated a majorcost-sharing liability arrangement.

Administrative ProcessA Citizen’s Advisory Council and alocal nonprofit organization ensuredcommunity involvement in the plan-ning and environmental assessmentphases of the St. Louis CommerceCenter. These two organizationshosted 11 meetings over two yearswith neighborhood groups to discussissues surrounding brownfieldscleanup and redevelopment and togather input on the Commerce Centerproject. Conducting community out-reach early has been critical to thisproject’s long-term effectiveness andhas helped institutionalize brown-fields redevelopment as a key eco-nomic development strategy in theCity.

State and local multi-party partner-ships contributed profoundly to thesuccess of the redevelopment. Thedeveloper, the city’s EDA, and theenvironmental consultant invited thestate DNR to join a partnership earlyin the planning stages to determineenvironmental mitigation options.Risk-based cleanup standards weredeveloped early in the process basedon anticipated future use and devel-opment. A cleanup plan approved by

all the project partners was instru-mental in determining the financialfeasibility of the St. Louis CommerceCenter. All cleanup activities wereconducted under the direction of avariety of local and state agencies,including the City Air PollutionControl Agency (asbestos, lead, anddemolition efforts), the state’sUnderground Storage Tank Program,and the state’s Voluntary CleanupProgram (non-regulated tanks, soil,and groundwater issues). The DNRand the local Air Pollution ControlAgency also jointly assisted thedevelopment team to address safetyand public health concerns related toasbestos and lead paint that couldarise during demolition of the site’sbuildings.

Lessons LearnedPrior to the redevelopment, little wasknown about the site’s environmentalcondition, and the perception of envi-ronmental risk deterred many poten-tial developers and investors.

Neighborhoods surrounding the sitehave been trapped in an alarmingstate of poverty. Before the citystepped in, median annual income oflocal residents was $9,700, and 60percent of community members fellin a low-to-medium income bracket.Galvanizing economic growth inthese neighborhoods is a high priorityfor the City, and this project repre-sents an important first step. Morethan $19 million in new capital hasbeen invested at the St. LouisCommerce Center site to construct487,000 square feet of new office,distribution, and warehousing space.The Center’s success has sparkedadditional activity and investment: allof the properties adjacent to the cen-ter currently have plans for redevel-opment. In addition to the tangiblechanges, the Center has engendered aspirit of renewal and community in

this neighborhood.

Many of the environmental andfinancial tools used in this projectwere termed “innovative” a few yearsago but are now considered the normfor successful brownfield redevelop-ment. Until the cycle of decline forblighted areas is broken, innovativedevelopment tools will be needed.Those involved in promoting brown-fields redevelopment hope that publicincentives will pay for themselvesthrough the creation of new jobs,increased tax bases, and future pri-vate sector investment and develop-ment.

Since the inception of the USEPABrownfields Assessment Pilot and thesubsequent redevelopment of the St.Louis Commerce Center, brownfieldsredevelopment throughout the City’surban core has seen significantgrowth. The City EDA now ownsmore than 55 million square feet ofabandoned property, including over2,200 buildings. Throughout theCity, nearly $640 million in brown-fields redevelopment projects areunder way or in planning stages.These projects are expected to gener-ate more than 5,550 jobs. Together,they demonstrate the effective use ofinnovative financial incentives, soundenvironmental analysis and cleanuptools, and the potential for positiveimpacts on surrounding neighbor-hoods. The St. Louis CommerceCenter redevelopment is oftendescribed as the “birth” of the brown-fields movement in the City.

This project was the first significantredevelopment of a large-scale aban-doned industrial and commercial sitein the City in several decades, and ithas significantly changed local mind-sets regarding “risky” development inthe urban core. The St. LouisCommerce Center showcased effec-tive environmental site cleanup andredevelopment by:• Creating a model process to illus-

trate tools and means for execut-ing brownfields projects.

• Developing stronger state legisla-tion to assist brownfields rede-velopment.

• Encouraging a new way of doingbusiness in the city—a collabora-tive team approach involving pri-vate and public sectors.

• Providing lessons on effectiveuse of the state’s VoluntaryCleanup Program.

• Providing an example of themagnitude of return on invest-ment from brownfield sites.

Contact InformationName: Eric KlipschAddress: 1015 Locust Street, Suite1200, St. Louis, MO 63101Phone: 314-622-3400Fax: 314-231-2341Email: [email protected]: http://stlouis.missouri.org


Project SummaryThe City of Tallahassee is target-ing a large former industrial cor-ridor with a broad redevelop-ment strategy. Redevelopmentstaff has used state records andconsultant research to determineenvironmental cleanup needsthroughout the forty sites thatmake up the corridor. TheGaines Street Corridor will ulti-mately support a wide range ofuses: commercial and officespace, residential developments,urban green space, and multi-modal transportation.

Previous UseThe Gaines Street BrownfieldArea was Tallahassee’s primaryindustrial corridor. Comprised ofwarehouses, stockyards, andpetroleum product distributors,the area lies at the junction ofseveral rail lines in the shadowof the Capital District andbetween two major state univer-sities. The corridor is a mosaicof public and private ownership.A few properties have beenabandoned due to contamination,mainly from petroleum.

Tallahassee is pursuing redevel-opment throughout the entirecorridor, rather than targetingselected properties for re-use.

Remediation and RedevelopmentThe City received an USEPABrownfield Pilot Grant and listedthe corridor as a brownfield

under Florida’s state program.The City is promoting the areaas a cornerstone of its downtownand central city redevelopmentplans.

Redevelopment staff compre-hensively reviewed all staterecords and records of severalenvironmental consulting firmsto determine site environmentalremediation needs. A currentand thorough re-mapping of thecorridor’s geo-hydrology permit-ted the City’s consultants toidentify those properties ingreatest need of cleanup or fur-ther site-specific assessment.

Project staff found contamina-tion requiring cleanup on about40 of the 600 parcels in the cor-ridor. Three specific parcels arebeing treated for contamination,primarily through removal anddisposal of soil.

FinancingTotal costs for the three sites areestimated at $700,000. The Cityhas funded this project throughthe following mechanisms:• $455,000 in state and federal

monies designated specifi-cally for the brownfieldassessment and remediation,including a $200,000USEPA Brownfield PilotGrant.

• Additional state funds ear-marked for redevelopmentand urban infill.


CITY OF TALLAHASSEE, FLMayor John Marks

• Federal pass-thru funds tofinance market studies andrestoration of historic structures.

• Nearly $117 million over the nextdecade in sales tax and highwayfunds for road reconstruction,s t o r m w a t e r, and greenway/openspace improvements from localand state governments.

The City has established twoCommunity Redevelopment Agencies(CRAs) to encourage public invest-ment in the Gaines Street Corridorwith the intent of reinvesting rev-enues from tax increment financinginto the project. The City has provid-ed incentives to investors such aspermit fee waivers and exemptionfrom traffic and stormwater concur-rency.

Administrative ProcessThe City’s Planning Department hasthe lead role in brownfield redevelop-ment, but new roles are being identi-fied for the Economic DevelopmentDepartment, which ordinarily isresponsible for coordinating HUDand related grants. The PlanningDepartment houses the environmentalunit, manages the assessment andremediation processes, and overseesthe staff of the local MetropolitanPlanning Organization (MPO). TheMPO coordinates activities with thestate Department of Transportation.(Gaines Street is a state road.) ThePlanning Department also coordi-nates land use decision-making andrezoning of the area.

The Gaines Street VitalizationCommittee, staffed by the PlanningDepartment, has been critical to theoverall redevelopment process. Thecommittee represents state agencies,universities, business interests, prop-erty owners, and neighborhood asso-ciations, and reports to both the CityCommission and the MPO. TheCommission reviews all redevelop-ment issues before they are passed onto elected officials.

The Committee has been active forover seven years and was instrumen-tal in crafting the process underwhich Tallahassee operates its rede-velopment effort. The Committeeserves as a model for other redevel-opment initiatives in the City.

City outreach at the site has includeddirect notice to property owners,maintenance of a project website, asemi-annual newsletter, and regularmeetings of a second committee rep-resenting the corridor’s stakeholders:homeowners and private citizens,business owners, representativesfrom two universities, and theChamber of Commerce. This com-mittee has taken responsibility forpromoting the sales tax extension thatwill pay for most of the infrastructureneeds of the corridor.

Lessons LearnedThis project brought to light severalimportant lessons for future redevel-opment projects. First, it is importantto target the properties that will ulti-mately generate the greatest return oninvestment. When the project began,several market studies showed thatenvironmental risks and infrastruc-ture deficiencies in the corridor(especially inadequate road capacityand stormwater treatment) hadstymied reinvestment. As the projecthas moved forward, investors havemore eagerly accepted these risksbased on promising market forecasts.This corridor will eventually supportroughly two thousand students andyoung professionals, many hundredsof full-time employees, and severalhundred thousand square feet of com-mercial and office space.

Second, project staff found that largercorridors featuring numerous contam-inated sites required a differentmethodology for assessment and siteprioritization.

Additionally, the project required

analysis of hundreds of state cleanupprogram records, Sanborn maps dat-ing to the 1890s, and Polk directoriesdating to the 1930s. The creation ofa database and GeographicInformation System (GIS) has beeninvaluable. Most local governmentsand environmental consultants nowuse GIS tools, even for mapping indi-vidual sites. This project coveredover 450 total acres. Assessing rela-tionships between remediation needs,development patterns, and objectivesnecessitated sophisticated mappingand analytical tools.

Finally, the establishment of anappropriate committee of stakehold-ers is critical to advancing redevelop-ment projects. This project has beenstrengthened by the dozens of com-mitted citizens and stakeholder repre-sentatives who have shaped theprocess and guided numerous localgovernment decisions.

Contact InformationName: Craig DiamondAddress: 300 South Adams,Tallahassee, FL 32301Phone: 850-891-8621Fax: 850-891-8734Email: [email protected]:http://www.state.fl.us/citytlh/



NOTES

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