Brownfields
Success Story
Continuing a Legacy of Learning
Aberdeen, South Dakota
The Bethlehem Lutheran Church has long been part of Aberdeen,
South Dakota. Over the years, the parish grew along with the community
and, to accommodate this growth, a two-story school was built on
church grounds in 1956. Nearly 40 years later, the parish moved to a
new location, and the old buildings began to slowly deteriorate. While
the other buildings on site were ultimately razed, the school remained.
A private company later purchased the property but never moved
forward with plans to develop it into apartments and offices. In 2011, the
city of Aberdeen purchased the property with plans to construct a new
public library. But first, the city needed to assess the property for any
environmental contamination that could threaten demolition workers or
the public.
The Assessments
The city purchased the parcel-a full city block in downtown Aberdeen—
for $700,000 with support from the Alexander Mitchell Public Library
Foundation. The old school building had become derelict and a safety
hazard, as many of its windows had been knocked out.
"The old building was no longer viable," says Kim Mcintosh, an
environmental manager with the South Dakota Department of
Environment & Natural Resources (DENR). "The department was
excited to assist with an opportunity to find better use for the property."
The city applied to the DENR for funding to complete an Environmental
Site Assessment. The assessment revealed asbestos in building materials
and petroleum-contaminated soil.
The Cleanup
The DENR worked closely with the city to ensure the asbestos was
removed prior to demolition and that the demolition was handled
properly. The DENR also monitored the groundwater to ensure
contamination wouldn't pose any risks to the public.
£EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Grant Recipient:
South Dakota Department of
Environment & Natural Resources
Grant Type:
Brownfields CERCLA 128(a)
Former Uses:
Sunday School, Chapel,
Youth Center
Current Use:
Public Library
By 20'
Churcl
lehem Lu

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Using U.S. Environmentai Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields CERCLA
128(a) funding, the DENR spent approximately $45,000 to conduct the
site assessments, develop a cleanup plan and remove the asbestos. The
state also provided approximately $7,000 through the DENR Abandoned
Tank Program to assess, remove and appropriately dispose of
contaminated substances associated with a 6,000-gallon underground
petroleum tank. Funds for the construction of the library were raised
by the city ($5.5 million with a city sales tax initiative) and from private
donations ($2.5 million).
"The willingness of Aberdeen to seek help from funding agencies for the
environmental cleanup really helped make this a success," says Christina
Wilson, an EPA Region 8 Brownfields project manager who assisted with
the effort. "Without that initial help, it would have been hard to overcome
the environmental challenges."
The Benefits
After remediating the property, construction of the new library began.
Nearly six years in the making, the 29,400-square-foot K.O. Lee
Aberdeen Public Library—named after a donor who pledged $900,000
for construction—opened on September 18, 2017.
The library features self-checkout stations and separate spaces for youth,
adult and children's books, as well as a local history and genealogy
reading space and meeting rooms (available during and after hours). An
additional section is dedicated to helping newcomers to Aberdeen, with
a focus on resources for non-native English speakers.
In essence, the library is more than just a place to house books—it's a
full community learning center, a place where everyone in Aberdeen can
visit and learn. "I was so pleased to see how the library turned out," adds
Mcintosh. "It's incredibly satisfying to revitaiize a former brownfield and
to restore a space for learning upon these historic grounds."
it The Brownfields
Program is happy
to get behind
projects with so
much community
support—to help
turn a dream into
a reality. 33
Christina Wilson
Brownfields Project Manager
EPA Region 8
For more information:
Visit the EPA Brownfields website
at www.epa.gov/brownfields
or contact Kim Mcintosh at 605-773-3296
or Kim.Mclntosh@state.sd.us.
EPA 5S0-F18-172
August 2018

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