Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2008 - (Page 38)

REDEVELOPMENT On Target with Brownfield Redevelopment Redevelopment of a fire-ravaged site offers lessons on how to return environmentally compromised land to beneficial use. By Steve Holtman In 2001, a raging fire sent a plume of black smoke into the sky across the riverside community of Ansonia, Connecticut. As the flames consumed the town’s largest employer and taxpayer, the manufacturing operation of Latex Foam Products, Ansonia officials knew they would face challenges beyond simply extinguishing the blaze. Once the debris of the fire was cleared away, they would be left searchThe site during early remediation and construction preparations, with ing for a way to fill the void the remains of some buildings in the foreground. left by the company and make use of the now-vacant 12-acres of sites, cities and towns can make better use of their land resources, help limit sprawl brownfield along the Naugatuck River. Bringing underutilized brownfield and habitat destruction, and reduce the properties back into productive use is an risks to health and safety that brownfields important part of sustainable develop- often pose. The journey of the Latex Foam Prodment of many communities across the ucts property from fire-blighted, environcountry. These properties are often eyesores and carry a stigma in the commu- mentally compromised brownfield to nity, and also represent significant vibrant retail attraction is a model that environmental risks to residents. By work- other developers and communities can ing with land owners and developers to follow. Ansonia was able to bring a large implement well-considered environmen- employer into the town, replacing a key tal remedies and to redevelop brownfield source of jobs and tax revenue, and the Target Corporation, which bought and redeveloped the site, was able to positively impact the economic and environmental circumstances of the community and meet its own financial and social objectives as well. A complicated history The industrial history of the 12-acre, river-side site extends back to the 1850s. It originally housed a foundry, which produced copper and brass wire and other metal products. Over the years it saw a succession of owners, ending as the Latex Foam Products mattress factory. As a result of the variety of manufacturing activities, the site was exposed to many different potential contaminants, including coal ash, foundry wastes, plating wastes, oil spills, PCB-containing materials, and solvents. In the aftermath of the fire, the property owner was left with a vacant lot and a host of unknowns with respect to potential environmental impact. Before any plans to sell or redevelop the land could proceed, it was crucial to determine the extent of any environmental contamination. Laying the groundwork Environmental due diligence has become a standard part of any large property transfer, and in the case of brownfields intended for redevelopment, it is especially important. An accurate unThe former Latex Foam Products facility’s slab foundation would be used as structural fill for the Target store, eliminating the need to export it. 38 September 2008 Sustainable Land Development Today

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2008

Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2008 Contents Our Voice The Bottomline Editorial Board SLDT Resources Digging Deep Oases of Capital Build a Better Business on an Interactive, Virtual Landscape Regulation SLDI in Focus �� SLDI Sponsored Summit �� Workshops �� Bookstore Tee’d Up for Sustainability Retention Solutions Wastewater Redevelopment Industry News Marketplace Products/Services Showcase Advertiser Index The Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2008

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