Lgn4 & Community Revitglizgtion
BROWNFIELPS                        EW I    6LAN

BOSWORTH STREET
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
  Property Details
  Property Address:           100 Bosworth and 2 Bosworth Street,
                                    Providence, Rhode Island
  Property Size:                             1 acre combined
  Former Use:                 Former mill complex and vacant lot
  Contaminants Found:       Petroleum, volatile organic compounds
                 (VOCs), Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),
                   arsenic and debris from the former mill building
  Current Use:                       20 affordable housing units
  Current Owner:                 Olneyville Housing Corporation
  Project Partners
  Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, Bank of America, State of RI
  Housing Resource Commission, City of Providence, RI Department of
  Environmental Management, and Olneyville Housing Corporation
Drivers for Redevelopment: The Olneyville Housing
Corporation's (OHC's) motivation for redeveloping the
Bosworth Street property lies in the community's desire
to raise strong families. Due to changes in the overall
economy through the 1960s and 1970s, Olneyville
began losing its population base. In the 1980s, residents
began to return to Olneyville in the hopes of gaining
employment, which required the construction of more
housing. According to the 2000 Census, Olneyville's
population is an estimated 6,500 residents. Through current
redevelopment projects, the OHC is striving to create
safe, clean and affordable places to live that strengthen
community ties and add to Olneyville's already vibrant
neighborhoods.
Prior to the housing project, a park was created across
the street from the lots, acting as an incentive for the
redevelopment project. The derelict lots were then planned
out to be the new site of a 20-condo affordable housing
project that compliments the newly built park. The
Bosworth Street housing development is a key element
in redevelopment for this Environmental Justice Focus
Area, transforming the neighborhood into a cleaner, more
desirable place to live.
Property History: Olneyville was founded in the early
18th century; it housed a grist mill and paper mill on the
Woonasquatucket River.  The property is the site of another
former mill complex. Sizeable foundations and a small
two-story brick office building remained from the complex
 Funding Details
 Bank of America Loan:                          $2,245,050
 Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston Grant:            $550,000
 City of Providence HOME Program Grant:            $860,520
 EPA RLF Subgrant:                              $400,000
 State of RI Building Better Communities funds:          $20,358
 Project Highlights
   Cleanup removed arsenic, PAHs, VOCs, petroleum and debris
   from sites
   Built 20 affordable condo units
   Housing project is located across the street from a newly constructed
   park which enhances the community
that was destroyed by fire in 1989. It was then a vacant site
owned by the City of Providence, before being sold to OHC
for redevelopment into affordable housing. The property
was contaminated with typical urban fill, in addition to
associated contamination from leaks in an underground
storage tank. The site is a primarily residential area
surrounded by small commercial and industrial operations.
Project Results: Using a subgrant from the Rhode
Island Department of Environmental Management's EPA
Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund grant, cleanup of
the Bosworth properties began in August of 2006. After
the former mill building was demolished onsite, debris
was removed along with oil and other soil contaminants
including arsenic, petroleum, volatile organic compounds
(VOCs), and poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Redevelopment of the sites began in September 2007 with
the construction of 20 affordable condominium units on
the previously contaminated properties. The site was fully
completed in May 2008 and residents moved into the homes
starting in February of 2008. The total project is estimated
to cost $4.2 million.
 Project Timeline
 August 1, 2006   Cleanup Begins on the 100 Bosworth Street Site
 May 1, 2007     Cleanup Begins on the 2 Bosworth Street Site
 September 2007  Redevelopment Begins
 December 6, 2007 Cleanup Completed
 May 2008       Redevelopment Completed
October 2009
                        Local Contact: Kelly Owens, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management • (401) 222-2797 x7108 • kelly.owens@dem.ri.gov

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