Greenspace Uses for
Brownfields Properties
It Is Easy Being Green
c,
Greenspace
'reating greenspace from brownfield properties is a
growing component of EPA's Brownfields Program. Along with
the commercial, residential, and industrial redevelopment of
brownfields, restoring these properties to greenspace has become
an increasingly viable option. Reusing brownfields as greenspace
can benefit a surrounding community in ways that traditional
redevelopment projects can not: offering aesthetic appeal, restored
natural habitat, and outdoor recreational options.
Oftentimes, municipalities and nonprofit groups work to transform
brownfields into greenspace that is accessible to all members of
the community. For many nonprofit groups, EPA's Brownfields
Program provides much-needed gap funding to make these
projects a reality, and the resulting community benefits cannot be
measured by economic indicators. But whether it is a nonprofit,
a city, a redevelopment agency, or some other entity steering the
process, everyone benefits from added greenspace in a community.
Greenspace is the Place to Start in Fitchburg
In the Boston suburb of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, the
transformation of the old Hope Rubber Company factory into
a recreational park has jump-started a series of redevelopment
projects throughout the city. In 2001, the City of Fitchburg used
a $200,000 EPA Brownfields Assessment grant to assess the site
of the former rubber factory that closed in the 1990s after a long
history of industrial use. The site contained a 35,000 square-
foot building that had burned down, leaving a pile of rubble and
unknown contamination. Following assessments, more than 150
cubic yards of contaminated material were removed, and the
affected area was covered with 18 inches of clean soil. The new
park opened in 2003.
The design and construction of Fitchburg's Riverfront Park was
a collaborative effort that included a citizen's committee, the
city and its redevelopment authority, local business leaders, and
federal agencies. The 1.6-acre park runs along the Nashua River
and contains a promenade, benches, and open lawn that provides
The former Hope Rubber Plant in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
has been converted to the new Riverfront Park.
JUST THE FACTS:
• Greenspace can include parks (for
people and pets), open space, trails,
nature sanctuaries, and recreational
sports areas.
• With the proper cleanup activities,
even brownfields properties
contaminated with petroleum can
be safely reused as greenspace.
• Greenspace can serve as
neighborhood gathering spaces for
youth and adults to build a sense of
community.
"We are fans of greenspace.
Our focus is on getting people
to think about Fitchburg as
a place to live."
- Steve Bonavita,
Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority
continued
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a touch of green to downtown Fitchburg. Future plans include the installation of a band shell for
music and other performances, an overlook to the river, and additional seating.
Riverfront Park's success has spurred additional redevelopment efforts in the city, such as
renovating North Street, a major thoroughfare in the city; working to improve downtown traffic
patterns and parking; developing a river walk; and assessing additional brownfields within the
city to engage developers. The Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority received EPA Brownfields
grants in 2003 and 2005 to assess other properties that the city and the Authority are targeting
for potential redevelopment. As said by Steve Bonavita of the Redevelopment Authority,
"We are fans of greenspace. Our focus is on getting people to think about Fitchburg as a place
to live."
Recreational Greenspace Benefits Youth in Atlanta
The Atlanta Youth Soccer Association (AYS A) in Atlanta, Georgia, began its brownfields
cleanup and redevelopment project with the end goal in mind. A few years ago, the chosen site
was an abandoned truck depot; now this recreational greenspace comprises 7.5 acres of full-
scale soccer fields, smaller fields for warm up, a concession stand, and a maintenance building.
AYSA is a grassroots, nonprofit organization that acquired the property to build a soccer
complex for its league. The organization raised nearly $2 million from Georgia philanthropic
foundations, the local community, and its members; however, due to the location of the property
and county zoning, it was not eligible for any local or state funding to assist in assessment and
or cleanup. EPA's Brownfields Program filled this funding gap with a $200,000 Cleanup grant
in 2004. AYS A President Janet Gross said of the EPA funding, "EPA was a great legitimizer for
our project. The EPA funding gave us some status because it showed that we passed a level of
scrutiny in a national competition."
Using the Cleanup grant, AYSA addressed the 10-acre property, which had underground storage
tanks, asphalt paving, a loading dock, and four large outbuildings comprising the former truck
terminal. A portion of the grant was used to demolish most of the paving (paving was not
removed where the new parking lot sits), the dock structure, and outbuildings. The grant was
also used to address five known, and one hidden, underground storage tanks. Once cleanup
began, contractors found additional buried debris, asbestos, and a granite slab; however, no soil
or water contamination was discovered. All of the property's debris was either ground up and
safely covered, or removed from the property entirely. Additional funding for the cleanup effort
came from AYSA's own fundraising efforts. AYSA worked diligently with EPA to complete the
project more than a year before the targeted completion date.
AYSA's soccer fields are currently open for league play. This recreational greenspace project
is an innovative reuse for an abandoned brownfield that had been of no value to anyone.
Additionally, the AYSA Arizona Avenue Youth Soccer Complex provides a safe and healthy
haven to the more than 1,000 children that participate in Atlanta youth soccer.
continued
Brownfields Success Story
Greenspace Uses for Brownfields Properties:
It Is Easy Being Green
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 560-F-10-207
July 2010
www. epa.gov/brownfields/
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Greenspace as Nature Sanctuary in St. Paul
In St. Paul, Minnesota, the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary provides
serene greenspace for urban residents. Since 1997 several local
units of government in the Twin Cities metropolitan area have
received EPA Brownfields Program grants, and in 2003 the City
of St. Paul received two Cleanup grants totaling $400,000 to
clean up hazardous substances and petroleum on property along
the Mississippi River. The targeted property, a 27-acre parcel of
land close to downtown St. Paul, had become covered with trash,
abandoned appliances, and contaminated soil. The property was
once a railyard and was known to be contaminated with heavy
metals and petroleum.
Bruce Vento Park in St. Paul, Minnesota.
A community group, the Lower Phalen Creek Project, recognized the potential of this site and
worked to secure funding, perform cleanup, and reuse the property as open space. The Lower
Phalen Creek Project is a public/private partnership composed of more than 20 organizations
whose goal to turn this blighted property into the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and link it to
an existing trail system was realized in 2005. The project leveraged funding from the National
Park Service, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Trust for Public Land
to acquire and convey the land to the City of St. Paul. The city used its EPA Cleanup grant
to clean up hazardous substances on a portion of the property designated for recreation, and
to clean up petroleum from a portion designated for conservation. This cleanup included the
removal of 7,500 tons of petroleum-contaminated soil, the redistribution of 20,000 tons of
soil, and the replacement of another 25,000 tons of soil to cover the property.
After cleanup, much of the property was restored as natural habitat, with 10
set aside for recreational purposes. The property now provides a continuous
natural area along the river from Indian Mounds Regional Park to Swede
Hollow Park. The Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary is maintained by the
city and is currently open to the public; wetlands projects, plantings,
and other restoration activities will continue for several years to come.
This project is a classic tale of greenspace redevelopment—restoring a
contaminated natural property in a prime location to its proper use.
The Future is Green
acres
CONTACTS:
For more information contact
EPA's Office of Brownfields and Land
Revitalization: (202) 566-2777
Visit the EPA Brownfields Web site at:
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
One of the four pillars of EPA's Brownfields Program is Sustainable
Reuse, which translates to enhancing a community's long-term quality of
life. As long as communities continue to regard the redevelopment of former
brownfields into greenspace as important, the amount of greenspace will increase.
And the more greenspace a community has, the healthier it is. With technical support from
EPA and other federal, state, and local agencies, greenspace projects will continue to be a
viable reuse option for brownfields.
Brownfields Success Story
Greenspace Uses for Brownfields Properties:
It Is Easy Being Green
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105T)
EPA 560-F-10-207
July 2010
www. epa.gov/brownfields/
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