Partnerships  and  Critical Funding  Turn
                Contaminated Land  into  Recreational
                and  Residential Centerpieces
T,
         Worcester,  Massachusetts
     he Main South Community Development Corporation (CDC)
in Worcester, Massachusetts worked with neighborhood residents and
community stakeholders to create a redevelopment vision that would
aid in the recovery of a blighted, low-income minority community. With
the help of project partners and a $200,000 EPA Brownfields Cleanup
grant, the CDC redeveloped the former Rice Barton industrial factory
and surrounding underutilized properties into a new Boys & Girls
Club of Worcester. Replacing a 100-year-old building in need of major
renovations, the Boys & Girls Club facility is the centerpiece of a public/
private revitalization project that will produce affordable housing for first
time buyers and athletic fields for Clark University.

Once a prospering industrial neighborhood, the Kilby Gardner Hammond
Street (KGHS) area suffered economic decline associated with
businesses closing in the area. Subsequently, the area became known as a
dangerous location, often involving gang and illegal activity. The 30-acre
KGHS target area contained many underutilized and vacant properties
with dilapidated industrial or residential structures last used during
the 1980s. One of the most contaminated properties was the former
Rice Barton facility which, at the height of operation, was the largest
manufacturer of paper-making machinery in the world.

At the request of the city and community, the CDC helped the
community craft a development vision for the future use of the
property and surrounding neighborhood. The resulting plan included
affordable, green housing for first time buyers, adjacent to surrounding
neighborhoods; new athletic fields to meet the need of neighboring Clark
University (a long-standing partner with the CDC); and a new state-of-
the-art Boys and Girls Club to replace the existing facility across town.

In 1999, the CDC used an EPA Brownfields Assessment grant
to determine the extent of contamination for the Kilby Gardner
Hammond Street area, the largest wildcard in the development vision.
Contamination revealed at the former Rice Barton site included
petroleum products, hazardous materials including transformers,
PCBs, solvents, and lead paint. Asbestos was also found inside the
main building. After characterizing the contamination, the CDC
was comfortable moving forward with cleanup. The Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection issued a Beneficial Use
Determination, which allowed the CDC to move construction materials
and debris between parcels within the target area and reuse building
                                                  continued
                                                                   The completed Boys & Girls Club facility.


                                                              JUST  THE  FACTS:
                                                                 Replacing a 100-year-old building in
                                                                 need of major renovations, the Boys &
                                                                 Girls Club facility is the centerpiece of
                                                                 a public/private revitalization project
                                                                 that will produce affordable housing for
                                                                 first time buyers and athletic fields for
                                                                 Clark University.
                                                              •   In order to address cleanup of the
                                                                 area, the Boys & Girls Club, Clark
                                                                 University, and the Main South CDC
                                                                 formed the Kilby Gardner Hammond
                                                                 LLC in 2000 to oversee the cleanup
                                                                 and redevelopment project and to
                                                                 protect the partners from potential
                                                                 liability.
                                                              •   Including funds from the U.S.
                                                                 Department of Housing and Urban
                                                                 Development, federal earmarked
                                                                 funds, private foundations, and city
                                                                 support, the project leveraged more
                                                                 than $5,965,000 in cleanup and
                                                                 redevelopment costs.
                                                                    Featuring an aquatic center
                                                                  and a gymnasium, the $9 million,
                                                                  50,000-square-foot facility is the
                                                                 centerpiece of the $30 million public/
                                                                private revitalization project of the Kilby
                                                               Gardner Hammond Street neighborhood.
                                                               When the entire Kilby Gardner Hammond
                                                                  Street project is completed, it will
                                                                  generate an estimated $180,000
                                                                     per year in tax benefits.

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  materials as fill—a tremendous cost-saver for the project. In 2003, the CDC was awarded a $200,000
  EPA Brownfields Cleanup grant for petroleum and hazardous materials to address the most significant
  contamination at the former Rice Barton property. As the keystone to moving the project forward, this grant
  helped to generate momentum and leverage additional funding.

  The entire project area consists of 30 individual properties, seven of which comprise the
  new Boys & Girls Club and athletic fields complex. The CDC acquired all 30 parcels
  within the target redevelopment area through negotiated sale and purchase and
  without using eminent domain. In order to address cleanup of the area, the Boys &
  Girls Club, Clark University, and the Main South CDC formed the Kilby Gardner
  Hammond LLC in 2000 to oversee the cleanup and redevelopment project and
  to protect the partners from potential liability. The CDC maintained ownership
  of the properties throughout cleanup and acted as the managing partner. Once
  cleanup was completed in March 2005, a two-acre parcel was transferred to the
  Boys & Girls Club; the parcels being converted into athletic fields will be sold to
  Clark University for the cost of land once the fields are completed.
                                                                                     For more information contact
                                                                                     U.S. EPA REGION 1
                                                                                     (617)918-1432
                                                                                     Visit the EPA Brownfields Web site at:
                                                                                     www.epa.gov/brownfields/
    The Boys & Girls Club facility opened at 65 Tainter Street on September 16,
    2006, with more than 800 people attending. The new facility will support the
    Worcester club's current 2,300 members and will hopefully attract new ones.
                                 Featuring an aquatic center and a gymnasium, the $9
                                       million, 50,000-square-foot facility is the centerpiece
                                            of the $30 million public/private revitalization
                                              project of the Kilby Gardner Hammond Street neighborhood.
                                                When the entire Kilby Gardner Hammond Street project is
                                                 completed, it will generate an estimated $180,000 per year
                                                  in tax benefits.

                                                  EPA Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup grants
                                                  provided momentum and security for the project, which
                                                  helped to leverage additional funding. Steve Teasdale
                                                  from the CDC stated, "The cost of remediating some
                                                  sites located  in inner city neighborhoods can be greater
                                                 than the existing market value of the property. However,
                                                by subsidizing the development of those sites with public
                                               funding, the sites can be successfully redeveloped and
                                             become catalysts  for the redevelopment of the surrounding
    area and overall growth of the city tax base. This end result warrents the initial subsidy investment."
    Including funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, federal earmarked
    funds, private foundations, and city support, the project leveraged more than $5,965,000 in cleanup and
    redevelopment costs.

    The Boys & Girls Club redevelopment provided the needed incentive for additional development projects
    in the area. The Kilby Gardner Hammond Street project will include 80 affordable houses for first time
    buyers and will incorporate green design components. Currently, half of the houses are occupied. These
    homes include solar panels, EPA Energy Star rated windows, and no vinyl siding. Families are moving
    back into the area and will be able to walk to the Boys & Girls Club and athletic fields. Among the area's
    new developments are two condominium projects that will create 136 units and return more than $325,000
    in annual tax revenues. The Kilby Gardner Hammond Street development project has greatly benefited the
    local community and now serves as a revitalization model for the Worcester region.
Demolition underway before construction of the new facility.
Brownfields Success Story - Worcester, MA
Partnerships and Critical Funding Turn Contaminated
Land into Recreational and Residential Centerpieces
                                                         Solid Waste
                                                         and Emergency
                                                         Response (5105T)
      EPA-560-F-09-022
         February 2009
www. epa. gov/brownfields/

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