United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5101) EPA 500-F-98-264 November 1998 www.epa.gov/brownfields/ &EPA Brownfields Showcase Community Salt Lake City, UT 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. Community Profile BACKGROUND The Brownfields National Partnership has selected Salt Lake City as a Brownfields Showcase Commu- nity. The city is targeting the 650-acre Gateway dis- trict, which developed during the mining and railroad booms of the 19th century, for revitalization. As rail- road tracks, manufacturing and maintenance facili- ties, heavy industry, salvage yards and warehouses expanded, a no-man's land devel- oped around the tracks and Interstate-15, re- sulting in shifting land uses and disinvest- ment. Now, 20% of the Gateway district is vacant land and build- ings, and the area is plagued by environmental contamination, severe crime, homelessness, and poor accessibility. Assess- ments reveal that at least 50% of the district's par- cels are contaminated. Property in the area is un- dervalued by four times, causing an estimated $1.6 million loss in annual property taxes. Approximately 13% of adults in the Gateway district have less than a ninth-grade education. In one portion of the dis- trict, more than 50% of the population lives below the poverty level. Through the Gateway Revitaliza- tion Initiative, Salt Lake City is working to rejuve- nate the blighted industrial district that currently di- vides the east and west sides of the city into a livable, mixed-use neighborhood. CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City's Gateway Revitalization Initiative will restore the 650-acre blighted industrial district that divides the east and west sides of the city. Current redevelopment projects within the Gateway include a $14 million, 5- acre housing and retail center, and a $15 million transportation hubfor bus, railroad, and light rail activity. Since 1978, Salt Lake City has developed so- phisticated programs, partnerships and pro- cesses to address the issues associated with brownfields and com- munity redevelopment, including partnering with EPA as a Brownfields Assess- ment Demonstration Pilot. Other highlights of Salt Lake City's brownfields program include: • Completing initial environmental assessments for all of the district's parcels, and completing environmental sampling for 15 of these parcels; • Cleaning up brownfields parcels in some areas of the Gateway district and restoring them to productive ------- use, including building the Delta Center sports arena (which employs 1,452 people and generates $ 1 million in tax increments annually) and the Triad Center business complex; • Leveraging $25 0 million in private investments in a five-block, 5 0-acre area of the Gateway district— 20 acres of this section are part of an historic warehouse district; and • Investing more than $ 1 million to improve historic Pioneer Park, and creating an active Farmer's Market there. SHOWCASE COMMUNITY OBJECTIVES AND PLANNED ACTIVITIES Salt Lake City's integration of its brownfields strat- egy, transportation improvements, and land use plan- ning is a strong redevelopment model that can be replicated across the country. The city has in place a diverse set of partnerships that will be enhanced through the Showcase Community designation. In- creased access to federal resources and a full-time federal staff person will enable more effective co- ordination of these myriad partnerships, to more efficiently achieve the city's goals. In keeping with the community's vision of returning the Gateway district to more residential and open space uses, Salt Lake City plans to: Create a 100-acre green belt between the main railroad tracks and the interstate, along with several smaller parks, which will provide environmental education and recreational opportunities; Develop the "Bridge Project," a $14 million, five- acre center for housing, retail and community- based cultural organizations; Build, with Department of Transportation assistance, a $ 15 million intermodal transportation hub to bring together Amtrak, Greyhound, local bus service, and commuter and light rails; Ensure environmental considerations are addressed in planning for the 2002 Olympic Games, including working with an Olympic Coordinator from EPA and planting new trees in the Gateway district; and Ensure that low-income, minority and homeless populations directly and indirectly benefit through housing that is affordable to a mix of income levels. Contacts Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City City of Salt Lake City (801)535-7240 Regional Brownfields Team U.S. EPA-Region 8 (303)312-6931 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 Salt Lake City, Utah EPA 500-F-98-264 ------- |