Trenton Brownfields
Ride a Wave of
Revitalization
Trenton, NJ
T
. h
he Assunpink Creek in Trenton, New Jersey flows through many
residential neighborhoods, past active but underutilized industrial parks,
and alongside abandoned properties. Severe rainstorms often cause the
Assunpink to overflow, flooding homes and businesses and once shutting
down a portion of the nation's busiest train service. Historical efforts to
control the flooding problems along the creek have proven unsuccessful,
and industries encroaching on the waterway have contributed to the
added burden of environmental contamination. Through a partnership
among federal, state, and county agencies, however, preliminary
environmental assessments have been conducted on properties along
the creek to determine the extent of this contamination. These
assessments represent part of a larger effort to turn this brownfields
waterway into a recreational gem.
As part of its brownfields restoration efforts on the creek area, Trenton
is planning a 99-acre urban park and greenway that will include several
baseball and soccer fields, playgrounds, picnic areas, an expanded pool
facility, tennis and basketball courts, and an 18-hole chip and putt golf
course. The city has enlisted the help of several partners to bring this
vision to reality, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE);
U.S. Economic Development Administration; EPA; Federal Emergency
Management Agency; New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection (NJDEP); New Jersey Economic Development
Administration (NJEDA); New Jersey Institute of Technology; Mercer
County; engineering and planning firms; planning authorities; and
community groups such as the Assunpink Creek Watershed Association.
Showcase Communities are selected by the Brownfields National
Partnership to demonstrate that through cooperation, federal, state,
local, and private efforts can be concentrated around brownfields to
restore these sites, stimulate economic development, and revitalize
communities. Showcase Communities serve as models for broad-based
cooperative efforts to support locally based initiatives. Showcases
receive up to $400,000 from EPA for both environmental assessments
and to support the loan of a federal employee to the Showcase for up to
three years. Showcase Communities receive additional financial and
technical support from the Partnership's more than 20 federal partners,
depending on the community need and program eligibility.
continued r\
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Lead extraction underway at a
brownfield site in Trenton.
JUST THE FACTS:
• As part of its restoration efforts for the
Assunpink Creek area, Trenton is
planning a 99-acre urban park and
greenway that will include several
baseball and soccer fields, playgrounds,
picnic areas, tennis and basketball
courts, and an 18-hole chip and putt golf
course.
• The revitalization effort will help restore
the creek's natural floodplain by
cleaning several brownfields along the
water's edge.
• ffistorical sites that will have improved
access through Trenton's brownfields
redevelopment efforts include a
blacksmith shop that has been in
operation since the 1800s, an historical
mansion, and an African American
cemetery dating back to the 1700s.
The City of Trenton has a
strong record of brownfields
redevelopment—the Assunpink Creek
greenway project is only one of nearly
60 brownfields projects that are part of
Trenton's Brownfields Showcase
Community efforts. To date, two
industrial parks, several residential
and commercial projects, a major
shopping center, an arena, and
a stadium have been completed,
among other successes.
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Previous construction of sites along the creek has created impermeable surfaces that contribute to
flooding and non-point source pollution. The revitalization effort will help restore the creek's natural
floodplain by cleaning several of these brownfields along the water's edge and removing a significant
portion of the impermeable area. Property acquisition by the city is in progress.
Preliminary assessments have been conducted on all targeted sites. EPA is
providing technical assistance to perform more detailed site investigations on
some properties, and NJDEP and NJEDA are funding investigations on the
remaining targeted sites.
In addition to addressing contamination concerns, conducting cleanup,
and creating recreational space, this revitalization project will connect
the existing Mulberry Street, George Paige, and Hetzel Field parks, as
well as improve access to historical sites. These historical sites include
a blacksmith shop that has been in continuous operation since the
1800s, an historical mansion which is now a public library, and an
African American cemetery that was in use from the 1700s to the 1800s.
The City of Trenton has a strong record of brownfields redevelopment—
the Assunpink Creek greenway project is only one of nearly 60 brownfields
projects that are part of Trenton's Brownfields Showcase Community efforts.
To date, two industrial parks, several residential and commercial projects, a major
shopping center, an arena, and a stadium have been completed, among other successes.
The city's Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot has helped leverage more than $1.4 million in
cleanup and redevelopment funding, and create more than 300 jobs. Trenton continues to strengthen
its brownfields program through support of innovative technologies when appropriate, seeking funding
from diverse sources, and relying on community involvement as an underpinning of its projects.
CONTACTS:
For more information on EPA's Showcase
Communities, contact Tony Raia of OSWER's
Office of Brownfields Cleanup and
Redevelopment at (202) 566-2758
Or visit EPA's Brownfields Website at:
http://www.epa.aov/brownfields/
Brownfields Success Story
Trenton, NJ
Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response (5105)
EPA 500-F-02-168
December 2002
www.epa.gov/brownfields/
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