by Steve Dwyer

The trend is becoming ubiquitous: larger-scale brownfield conversions into technology or innovation centers. The examples are several. A couple months ago we reported on Brown University, Cranston, R.I., poised to reshape a massive, century-old power station that sat vacant on the Providence River along its campus. 

That end-use envisions the establishment of an innovation center-all part of creating "innovation districts" for driving research and development.  Now comes word that Pennsylvania is prepared to earmark $15 million in tax credits to transform a former steel mill in the Pittsburgh metro area into a technology hub, as reported in late December in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The announcement to allocate tax credits by PA Gov. Tom Wolf to expedite construction at Hazelwood Green, which is the site of a massive abandoned steel mill, culminates the efforts of a coalition of nonprofits eager to transform the footprint into a bustling corporate hub for research and technology.

This project has great potential for revitalizing an unused brownfield site and bringing jobs and additional high-tech employers to Hazelwood. The coalition is "excited about the business synergies that could be created here to benefit the local community and the entire region." 

Owned by three prominent Pittsburgh foundations since 2002, the 178-acre property along the Monogahela River formerly known as Almono is slated for redevelopment as a green high-tech center with space for housing, offices and recreation. The property is jointly owned by the Richard King Mellon, Benedum Foundations and The Heinz Endowments.

The Commonwealth Cornerstone Group's New Markets Tax Credit funding ensures that the first of three office buildings planned at Pittsburgh's last big brownfield can begin construction early this year and be ready for occupants by spring 2019, Donald Smith, president of Regional Industrial Development Corp. (RIDC), a nonprofit real estate developer, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

It will be interesting to watch the project take shape during this calendar year, where the first building is estimated to cost $46 million. Carnegie Mellon University's (CMU) Advanced Robotics Manufacturing (ARM) Institute is slated to be the modern Mill 19's first tenant.

One mission statement championed with large-scale efforts like this one is: "past is prologue." 

Like so many other redevelopers have done in the past with similar projects, the Hazelwood sponsors are striving to emphasize the best of Pittsburgh's past, demonstrated by its rich steel-mill heritage, and meld that with the best of its future-that is, the technology expertise that CMU and the other companies will use as their cornerstone.  

Under a 10-year lease with renewal options, the ARM Institute and Manufacturing Futures Initiative will take up two floors of a 94,000-square-foot building, the first of three set to be built within the 264,000-square-foot steel superstructure steel frame of the old mill -a concept described as "building within a building."

The vision behind Hazelwood Green has been more than 15 years in the making. In addition to building residences and more office space for tech-minded companies, plans for Hazelwood Green include a 2.5-acre public space and constructing a new street running the length of the property. 

Smith said getting involved in Hazelwood Green made perfect sense for RIDC, which has access to subsidies that for-profit entities don't and specializes in financing projects that benefit the public.

In total, RIDC has received about $43 million combined in local, state and corporate tax credits toward the first phase of the Mill 19 project, including funding from Pittsburgh's Urban Redevelopment Authority, PNC Bank and Telesis. After financing and administrative costs, the contribution translates into a net benefit of about $7 million toward the $46 million project, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

by Nicole Gugino, Dunkirk Observer (NY)

A new development’s first step for local approval will take place Tuesday when the Dunkirk Zoning Board will vote on an area variance for the cold storage facility proposed for 320 Roberts Road.

Cleanup of the brownfield site and the need from local ice cream manufacturer, Fieldbrook Foods, for cold storage have come together for this project. 

However, plans exceed the dimensions allowed by city zoning code, necessitating a visit to the zoning board Tuesday at 5 p.m. in city hall. The law states a building can be no taller than 40 feet, however, plans seek 52-foot building with some portions as tall as 65 feet.

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For the entire article, see

http://www.observertoday.com/news/page-one/2018/02/zoning-board-to-consider-variance-for-cold-storage-facility/

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), has been working to improve and promote community health, partnerships, communication, and education in communities with sites that are in need of land revitalization. Many of these sites are Brownfields, which may have a presence of pollutants or contaminants that are harmful to people within these communities. As you may know, this can prevent the overall growth and health of a community.

Working to revitalize these kinds of sites can be extensive and risky, which is why it is important to be equipped with the resources needed to put the health of our communities first! ATSDR has five Land Reuse and Redevelopment Toolkits that. You can access them by clicking this link: http://bit.ly/2reaId1

by Brett HallFriday, CNYcentral (NYrk

In an area where many relics of Syracuse's industrial past have been washed clean of their former appearance, a former washing machine factory lies dormant and decaying with no immediate sign of change. 

The 261,800 square foot facility has an address of 128 Spencer street placing it on the edge of Syracuse's Inner Harbor, two blocks from Destiny USA. While other former factories surround the property, many of them have been converted into loft apartments where the younger community has moved in.

"I can see it right from my living room window it’s not the most best thing to look at during the day," Norah Hoodmaker, who lives across Spencer Street, said. "It’s creepy looking."

…

For the entire article, see

http://cnycentral.com/news/tear-it-down-fix-it-up/tear-it-down-or-fix-it-up-dec-terminates-clean-up-agreement-at-abandoned-syracuse-factory

by Steve Dwyer

Transportation-oriented investments come in many shapes and sizes. The home run concepts might be found in a multi-use commercial/residential play that's positioned in close proximity to light rail or bus routes in an urban setting-or even include a modest but effective bicycle-sharing program to enable folks to get from point to point on a moment's notice. 

A basic trail system constitutes a Transit Oriented Development (TOD)  component. However, it doesn't get the props as being a real game-changer in the context of "compelling redevelopment" project. 

Of course, it depends on whom you ask. This passive TOD application can be equally as powerful to drive social-oriented impact and regenerate quality of life status. It's a simple yet effective outlet for residents to get out and walk, run or bike the trails. And, if a single, one-dimensional trail can be extended over time, it adds more power to point-to-point connectivity. 

We witnessed an example of passive TOD relating to a 150-acre brownfield in West Bethlehem Township, PA where a mile-long grass hiking trail was unveiled recently. For one, the new-use helped shed a reputation of blight, as the footprint once housed a mine refuse dump and sediment ponds. It had sat dormant for years. Now, it's perceived by the public and local stakeholders as an asset. And, it's acclaimed to be a textbook example of what happens when land remediation is executed properly.

Another example is Charles Town, WV, where the community embarked on an initiative to transform waterfront brownfields on the Evitts Run Creek into a new park, recreation and nature area with innovative green infrastructure helping buttress a distressed neighborhood. 

Key components of the "Evitts Run Creek Green Infrastructure Park" is marked by an on-line wet stormwater lake and park space dubbed "Lake Charles." This plan included: planting of hundreds of urban trees and shrubs, removal of six acres of long-abandoned parking lot at a long-defunct creekside factory area, deployment of pervious parking and trail facilities, and creation of a native nursery to support future green infrastructure efforts in the watershed. 

In West Beth, PA, land was reclaimed and repurposed in an area where coal mining was pervasive more than a quarter-century ago. The heavy lifting began in 2003 when West Bethlehem purchased the land from Bethlehem Steel Co. for $40,000, one year after the PA Department of Environmental Protection ordered the steel firm to spend $45 million to remediate six coal mines and clean up its waste pile and sediment ponds. A 12-inch-thick layer of topsoil was put down to seal the refuse area.

West Bethlehem's agreement with the steel company mandated land to be made available to the public. The township has done just that-removing undergrowth around the pond, making it more accessible to those who fish, and forging an agreement with the Pennsylvania Game Commission to allow hunters on a permission basis.

This transformation from brownfield to vibrant recreational space isn't complete, as there are more assets to be added to the existing footprint. The township also is formulating plans to plant donated trees and stock pheasants there, enhancing the property even more. The signature feature is the trail that offers impressive views and really has been a social impact, as well as a recreational/transportation boon. 

Similar to the positive reaction in West Virginia, the West Beth project appears to have additional possibilities for expansion. Passive recreational decision on a property might not pump revenue into local or state coffers like multi-use commercial and residential projects do. But they sure do pump hope and sense of civic pride into the citizenry.

by Daniel Schemer, South Coast Today (MA)

On Orchard Street in New Bedford’s South End a brand new Family Dollar has sprung up.

“It’s a good location to have one. I think this store will do well here,” said Cheri Santos, the store manager, at the store’s grand opening last weekend.

Of greater significance than having a new retail establishment in this part of the city, however, is the actual location itself.

When standing in the building’s parking lot, across from Ashley Park, one is still greeted by a full view of what is referred to as the Goodyear Parcel, where the mammoth Goodyear Tire & Rubber Plant once stood. Now all that remains is 10 acres of fenced-in dirt stone, and debris, representing the residuals of this part of New Bedford’s once prominent industrial era.

…

For the entire article, see

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20180210/south-end-development-spurs-hope-for-long-vacant-brownfield

Environmental due diligence is a critical component of any property transaction where potential environmental risks are a concern—minimize risks and protect yourself from...

by Sylvia Carignan, BNA Environmental Due Diligence Guide

President Donald Trump’s sweeping infrastructure plan proposes to rewrite long-standing funding options for cleaning up brownfields and superfund sites.

The plan, released Feb. 12, seeks new ways to provide federal funding for contaminated site cleanup, potentially speeding progress toward redeveloping those sites. At the same time, the president’s budget plan would slash the traditional funding route for brownfields.

The proposed infrastructure reforms would create new loan and grant programs but also require legislative action.

…

For the entire article, see

https://www.bna.com/trump-proposes-new-n57982088681/

by TIM FAULKNER, ecoRI (RI)

Cleaning polluted land isn’t cheap, but thanks to a federal and state program funds are available to return some of these brownfield sites to commercial and residential use.

On Feb. 9, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) awarded $3.7 million to nine polluted sites for clean up and redevelopment. One of the sites will be home to a new facility for Farm Fresh RI, the nonprofit distributor of local food and farmers market manager headquartered in Pawtucket.

The lot at 498 Kinsley Ave., in the Valley neighborhood, is the remnant of a massive mill fire in 2015 that destroyed the building. The 3.3-acre site will now host the Rhode Island Food Hub, a mixed-use facility that will serve as a distribution center for local food and produce. It will offer food production facilities, nutrition education, job training, and retail markets. Farm Fresh will occupy half of a new 60,000-square-foot building. Other food-related businesses will rent the rest.

The Food Hub site is across the street from another brownfield success story, The Steel Yard, the industrial arts studio that received $2.1 million in brownfield funds in 2010 to remediate a 3.8-acre site. The Steep Yard hosted the announcement for the program's latest grant recipients.

…

For the entire article, see

https://www.ecori.org/smart-growth/2018/2/12/37-million-awarded-to-brownfield-cleanup-and-food-hub

by Steve Dwyer

So, you're a metropolitan area seeking a viable waterfront redevelopment opportunity. The options are several, including a mixed-use residential and commercial combination. It's certainly a prevalent one with much upside.

You can draw a bead on yet another potential game plan-transportation hub providing waterway facility transportation infrastructure within the U.S. import/export market.

It's vital as businesses rely on U.S. shipping ports to acquire raw materials or to ship finished products to markets around the world. In the Northeast, smaller metro areas have a chance to compete with the likes of Boston, Philadelphia or New York City by marketing themselves as a less congested more fluid alternative to move freight to far-away lands.  

You become a gateway to connect producers and consumers to the rest of the world via your investment in private/public terminals and manufacturing areas owned by the port and leased to private entities.

It creates a large number of jobs and infuses strength into a local, even regional, economy: Direct employment opportunities encompass a wide range of position with maritime service firms, surface transportation firms, shippers, consignees, governmental agencies, and professional service firms.

Some caveats creep into the picture when considering an investment of this magnitude: 

• The size of today's freighters has expanded to the point where certain ports can't accommodate these mega-ships. Large engineering investments, such as dredging and expanding, must be made to make it fly. 
  
• Environmentally, there the potential scenario of answering to Coastal Zone requirements, which are designed to protect the natural environment of the coastal zone areas by prohibiting new heavy industry that doesn't conform to the law.
  
• Permitting is a third caveat. Rivers and waterways might have to be dredged to allow for the construction of new berths. "Anytime you are talking about creating port facilities, the biggest problem is permitting," said an official who was involved with working on the Port of Wilmington's auto berth project on the Delaware River in New Castle County, Delaware, that opened 16 years ago. "The main thing is permitting for dredging for the docks, both state and federal."
  

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicates that the permitting process depends on location, site conditions and other factors. When a developer has firmed up preliminary plans, the Corps works with the applicant to adjust plans if necessary. The Corps is known to approve more than 90% of applications.

Back to the accommodation aspect: The shipping industry has been greatly transformed with the advent of a new global fleet of mega-ships that can carry almost double the containers of the previous generation of ships. These vessels have a capacity of 7,500 to 12,000 container units as measured by the standard 20-foot container. Older generation vessels could handle 6,000 to 9,000 20-foot equivalent container units.

You might be a decent-size city in the Northeast, but accommodating the modern-day shipping industry is not a given for certain cities not named Boston, Philadelphia or New York City. If you are considering a port expansion opportunity to spark economic growth, dip your toe into the water and ponder the three caveats first before diving in headlong. 

by Jeff Mill, Middletown Press (CT)

Residents later this month will be asked to approve the purchase of a 5.28-acre parcel of land along the Connecticut River.

The Board of Selectman voted Wednesday to send the proposal to a Feb. 28 town meeting.

The property, comprising three contiguous parcels - 222, 232 and 248 Brownstone Ave. - is the site of the former Connecticut Tar & Asphalt Co. It has been vacant for the past decade.

…

For the entire article, see

https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Portland-voters-to-decide-purchase-of-riverfront-12567833.php