United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA 500-F-98-261 November 1998 www.epa.gov/brownfields/ &EPA Brownfields Showcase Community Lowell, MA Outreach and Special Projects Staff (5101) Quick Reference Fact Sheet Brownfields are abandoned, idled or underused industrial and commercial properties where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived contamination. In May 1997, Vice President Gore announced a Brownfields National Partnership to bring together the resources of more than 15 federal agencies to address local cleanup and reuse issues in a more coordinated manner. This multi-agency partnership has pledged support to 16 "Brownfields Showcase Communities"—models demonstrating the benefits of collaborative activity on brownfields. The designated Brownfields Showcase Communities are distributed across the country and vary by size, resources, and community type. A wide range of support will be leveraged, depending on the particular needs of each Showcase Community. BACKGROUND The Brownfields National Partnership has selected the City of Lowell as a Brownfields Showcase Commu- nity. Like many old, industrial cities, Lowell has almost no vacant land available for development. Though the market for commercial office and manufacturing space in Lowell continues to improve, most of the inquiries for industrial space cannot be satisfied because of limited supply. Returning the city's brownfields properties to productive use is critical to Lowell's industrial develop- ment and job creation efforts. With a poverty rate of 18%, Lowell has 58% fewer manufacturing jobs than it did ten years ago. The city has recently achieved great success in redevel- oping its old mill proper- ties, ash dumps, and other disposal sites into new fa- cilities that create jobs for local residents. The City identified 16-17 priority brownfields sites for as- sessment and testing, and attracted several large, experienced developers to redesign and market several of these properties. Community Profile Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell has developed creative approaches to attracting investors for brownfields cleanup and redevelopment, including use of the Lowell Development and Finance Corporation (a consortium of local stakeholder banks) and tax increment financing. Community members, pri- vate businesses, and federal, state, and local agencies all play an integral part in the planning and implementa- tion of city-based redevelopment projects. CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS Since the inception of Lowell's brownfields program in September 1996, the city has leveraged more than $ 100 million in public and private investment. Highlights of Lowell's brownfields redevelopment program include: • Completing an inventory of 52 vacant or underutilized industrial properties within the city, and identifying sites with the greatest re- development potential tocreatealistof!6-17 priority brownfields properties; With almost no vacant land available fordevelopment, Lowell hastargeted 16-17 brownfields sites. Lowell's redevelopment efforts have leveraged more than $100 million in funding. One brownfields property is now home to a $30 million sports arena and a $12 million baseball stadium. Development of a $30 million sports arena and a $12 million professional baseball stadium on the former ------- Lawrence Mills site, which has a 170-year history of industrial use; • Supporting an $8 million bond to initiate the Lawrence Mills redevelopment project, andraising $ 1.6million inprivate donations. This site couldnowaccommodate as many as 2,450 new jobs; • Attracting developers who have invested more than $ 10 million into the 400,000 square-foot Wannalancit Millsproject, and $36million into the 700,000 square- foot Boott Mills project; and • Leveraging $9 million in funding from the U.S. Department ofTransportationforaRiverwalk Project that will connect Lowell' sNational Historic Park, the nation's first urbannational park, by a walkway to the University of Massachusetts and the two new sports facilities. On average, for every $1 of public funding, Lowell has leveraged $12 of private investment. SHOWCASE COMMUNITY OBJECTIVES AND PLANNED ACTIVITIES Lowell plans to use the Showcase Communities project to continue the substantial success of its brownfields program. The city has eleven well defined goals for development and growth, and has made progress on each. These goals are: conducting public awareness strategies to educate the public on the benefits of liv- ing and working in Lowell; identifying the city's eco- nomic base, and evaluating strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities; developing economic development strat- egies for the Economic Opportunity Areas (EGAs) in the city; establishing mechanisms for implementing the Division of Planning and Development's (DPD) financing programs; implementing marketing strategies for busi- ness retention and recruitment; developing a business retention program that will help the DPD evaluate the city's industry base; working with the Lowell National Historical Park to support historic preservation; devel- oping a procedure for a streamlined permitting assis- tance process; working with the federally-designated Enterprise Community to open a Business Assistance Center to aid new or expanding businesses; implement- ing the strategies outlined in the University of Massa- chusetts at Lowell report on the city's industrial base; and continuing the work of the EPA Brownfields Pilot program. Contacts Division of Planning and Development City of Lowell (978)970-4276 Regional Brownfields Team U.S. EPA-Region 1 (617)573-9681 For more information on the Brownfields Showcase Communities, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/showcase.htm Brownfields Showcase Community November 1998 Lowell, Massachusetts EPA 500-F-98-261 ------- |