EPA Mid-Atlantic Region | Brownfields Program | Success Story A Successful Transformation: Union Mill Apartments ¦ Baltimore, MD Site Description First used in 1866 as a cotton mill factory, the Union Mill sat vacant for ten years, after production ceased, until 1920. Poole Engineering and Machine Co. then occupied the site, assem- bling railway accessories and using the machine shop; a rail- road spur ran along the northern portion of the property. By 1950, Wheelwright-Folger, Inc. and H-B Manufacturing Co. oc- cupied the site while manufacturing and assembling Chrome furniture. Between 1962 and 2008, Life-Like Products, Inc. oc- cupied the property and molded polystyrene foam products. The site sat vacant for a year after production ceased until it was purchased to become Union Mill apartments. Environmental Issues Addressed In 2009 a Phase II assessment was conducted that identified the presence of metals, semi-volatile organic compounds, and petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil and low levels of volatile organic com- pounds in the groundwater. A year later, a Phase II Addendum was conducted that revealed elevat- ed concentration of metals in the tunnel sediment and high concentrations of cadmium. During implementation of the Response Action Plan, further delineation and soil removal was performed for cadmium contaminated soil. Nearly four hundred tons of soil was removed and disposed as toxic haz- ardous waste and further evaluation was completed for the Fuel Fund a Maryland Nonprofits 1500 Union Ave 1\ mmm \ to* 1 0 tl \ Blue Pit B8Q ^ subterranean tunnel system. to Ave Leveraged Resources EPA Grant Recipient: Baltimore Devel- The site was assessed using a $200,000 EPA grant awarded to the Baltimore Development Corporation. The property received $3 million in historic tax credits from the Mary- land Historical Trust. $20 million was put towards restor- ing original woodwork, iron columns and plastering of inte- rior walls, the structure remained stable. opment Corporation (BDC) Year Awarded: 2009 Grant Tvpes: Assessment HW CW Former Uses: Cotton Mill facilitv. Engi- neering and Machine Shop Current Uses: Apartment and Office complex Exterior Union Mill factory in 1900s ------- EPA Mid-Atlantic Region | Brownfields Program | Success Story Rehabilitation of existing structural steal, metal columns and the original section of the mill and boiler house were divided into units, the boiler house topped with smokestacks now houses a large restaurant. The first to meet Baltimore's Green Building Standards, the for- mer mill is now a complex of 54 open, airy apartments offered at below market rates for teachers and hosts a large courtyard for community events. The remaining 35,000 square footage is affordable office space for the non-profits that help power Baltimore's urban econo- my. The space allows tenants to share ideas and spare capital usually devoted to office design and renovation. The convenient space for teachers and non-profits also hosts on-site resource rooms and a copy center, study lounges, outdoor courtyard and a cafe (open to the public) in the old boiler room. Teacher retention rates are low in Baltimore city. Less than half of new hires stay for over five years and a third leave after two, which costs the city over $100K for each defection. Many of the young teachers expressed to the developers a sense of isolation and discouragement after moving to a new and unfamiliar city, learning to engage children from distressed environ- ments, and lack of support within the system. With 750 new teachers arriving in the city every year, many of them with Teach for Am erica, and most of them fi nancially strapped, fi nding af- fordable housing is yet another challenge. The design of Union Mill was centered on supporting teachers by encouraging collaboration and creating a sense of community. Contacts For Further Information: Project Officer, Jeff Bar- nett (barnett.jeff@epa.gov) and BDC's Karl Bradley (KBradley@baltimoredevelopment.com) All photos courtesy of Seawall Development Corp ------- |