Land Revitalization Success Stories | tPA #560-F22-282

December 2022

Planning for Sustainable Brownfield Redevelopment

DULUTH, MINNESOTA - DOWNTOWN BROWNFIELDS REVITALIZATION
PROJECT DESCRIPTION	

•	Community Duluth, MN

•	EPA Regional Lead: Rosita Clarke, clarke.rosita@epa.gov

•	Site and Use: Prioritizing brownfields revitalization activities in preparation of downtown Financial District area planning

•	Technical Assistance: Site Reuse Assessment

PROJECT BACKGROUND	

Downtown Duluth has faced the loss of many businesses, both prior
to and during the COVID pandemic. Many of the basic amenities
expected in a downtown area are lacking, such as walkability, public
markets, and housing. Since the early 1980s, the city has had to
balance the loss of manufacturing jobs with the growth of health
care, tourism, and retail, While the city remains a regional center,
decades of decline have created challenges, and new investment is
needed to create public-serving amenities downtown.

PROJECT CHALLENGES	

The city faces a crossroads in its transition from a rustbelt
community to one with a lively, diverse economy and a commitment
to its urban character, Currently the city is focused on reuse
planning for a dilapidated block in the core of Downtown Duluth's
financial district (West 100 block), The city wants to optimize
underutilized vacant lots and address dilapidated structures to better
support commerce, job creation and affordable housing growth for
Duluth's 18,000 downtown employees. In addition, the topography
and highway system create connectivity challenges to the medical
district, Canal Park, and the Lake Superior lakefront,

EPA'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE	

EPA's Land Revitalization team supported the city by:

•	Creating analysis diagrams and base maps of the brownfield sites in order to ensure proper planning for existing buildings and the area.

•	Identifying considerations to guide brownfields redevelopment within the financial district: connectivity, adaptive reuse, parking, and
public safety.

•	Focusing on short-term connectivity and adaptive pedestrian friendly reuse to help alleviate perceptions of lack of parking and safety
concerns.

•	Delivering a site reuse report that can be used to engage city leaders, community members and other stakeholders.

NEXT STEPS FOR CONSIDERATION	

•	Establish a key stakeholder redevelopment working group to focus on the West 100 block and develop an area plan.

•	Conduct a financial analysis for potential reuse scenarios, potentially focused on adaptive reuse for mixed use and student housing.

•	Discuss with the owner(s) of the vacant office buildings how to establish access and a public right-of-way through the buildings and alley.

•	Consider establishing a committee to formulate guidelines and identify opportunities for public art and beautification.

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