EPA Region 9 Brownfields Program RLF Success Stories United States Environmental Protection Agency California DTSC Subgrants After receiving an EPA RLF grant in 2006, California's Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) made four loans and ten subgrants (detailed in this fact sheet) to local governments, community development corporations, and school districts to address a range of petroleum and hazardous substance contamination issues. DTSC's RLF Program plays a critical role in moving cleanup forward by providing gap financing for cleanup activities, while leveraging other funding for project construction. With this funding, once troubled properties are successfully being reused for affordable housing and greenspace opportunities, education and community centers, community-serving retail, and civic uses in disadvantaged communities. Subgrant 1: Los Alamitos Recipient: Los Alamitos Unified School District Project Name: Los Alamitos Elementary School Amount: $817,772 hazardous substances subgrant The Los Alamitos Unified School District found elevated levels of arsenic in surface soil from historical railroad operations at a site used for temporary visitor parking at the Los Alamitos Elementary School. Although interim measures to protect public health are in place, the District will use the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Program subgrant funding to remediate soil impacted with arsenic, This will allow the current parking use to continue, and if funding is available, the building will be expanded to accommodate hearing-impaired children, as these special needs children are currently in portable structures adjacent to the cleanup area. The drop off and pick up of these children will be improved significantly as a result of the remediation. Subgrant 2: East Pa!o Alto and Midpeninsula Recipients: East Palo Alto Redevelopment Agency and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Project Name: Cooley Landing Areas A and B Amount: $200,000 hazardous substances subgrant (Redevelopment Agency)] $400,000 hazardous substances subgrant (Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District) Cooley Landing is a 9-acre peninsula on bay lands in the San Francisco Bay that operated as a county dump until 1958. Now vacant and contaminated, the nearby East Palo Alto community (comprising mainly minority and low-income residents) wants to turn the peninsula into a public nature park and the city's first public access to San Francisco Bay. The East Palo Alto Redevelopment Agency and the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District will use RLF Program subgrant funding to cover a portion of the $1 million cleanup to include the installation of a 2-foot soil cap on the 9-acre peninsula. New vegetation planned for the site will mostly be native and drought-tolerant species to attract native wildlife. A 1950s former boat repair shop will be renovated to create a new 3,125-square-foot education center and community meeting space. Demolition activities on San Francisco Bay make way for Cooley Landing Sidewalk construction underway at Cooley Landing ------- Subgrant 3: San Francisco Recipient; City and County of San Francisco Project Name: Mission Bay Park P16 Amount: $200,000 hazardous substances subgrant Pathways under construction at Mission Bay will connect the network of parks Mission Bay Park 16 is part of a 41-acre network of parks planned for Mission Bay. When the park network is combined with a brand new street grid it will replace 300 acres of former rail yards and surface parking lots with a completely new transit oriented urban neighborhood. The City and County of San Francisco used RLF Program subgrant funding on Park P16 to supplement the import and construction of a cap to mitigate potential exposure to heavy metals contained in the soil, Park P16 provides innovative critical infrastructure to Mission Bay by connecting a series of parks that manages Mission Bay's overland sforrnwater flows, and detains and treats these flows before they enter the Bay. This green stormwater management system reduces reliance on and helps limit the need for new single purpose infrastructure. Subgrant 4: San Francisco Recipient: City and County of San Francisco Project Name: Mission Bay Park P10 Amount: $760,000 hazardous substances subgrant Landscaping and hardscaping enhance the look of Mission Bay Park P10 The City and County of San Francisco received a second RLF subgrant for the construction of Park P10 and Mission Bay Circle, which are also part of the 41-acre network of parks planned for Mission Bay. The RLF subgrant funding will be used to remove and relocate contaminated soils, import clean fill, construct a landscape or hardscape cap, and implement a methane mitigation system for Park P10. Park P10 and Mission Bay Circle are critical gateways to Mission Bay, bridging the separation of neighborhoods created by Caltrain and lnterstate-280, and linking the new Mission Bay development with the city's urban core, Based on prior parks of similar size already built at Mission Bay, the construction of Park P10 and Mission Bay Circle is projected to employ approximately 395 workers during construction over 15 months. Subgrant S: Little Tokyo Recipient: Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation Project Name: Little Tokyo Service Center Amount: $88,000 hazardous substances subgrant The Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC), a non-profit organization, is developing a 45-unit affordable, multi-family housing project in the City of Los Angeles. Lead-based paint and asbestos were identified in existing buildings on the property, LTSC will use the RLF subgrant funding to implement the lead-based paint and asbestos abatement. Total project development costs are approximately $18.6 million. In addition to the RLF subgrant, LTSC received a $200,000 Brownfields Cleanup grant from EPA's Brownfields Program. ------- Subgrant 6: San lose Recipient; City of San Jose Project Name: Orvieto Apartment Project Amount: $525,000 hazardous substances subgrant— remediation cost was only $314,529.86 Subgrant 7: Los Angeles Recipient: City of Los Angeles Project Name: Rockwood Park Amount: $200,000 petroleum subgrant The completed Oriveto Apartments Complex The City of San Jose approved $12,592,138 for the purchase of property and construction of 92 affordable family apartment units. Prior to development, the city used RLF subgrant funding to address the release of hazardous substances into the soil as a result of historical activities at the 1,7-acre site. The Orvieto Apartments, which became available in December 2011, were constructed using sustainable building methods and incorporate a number of green features designed to ensure long-term energy-efficiency and sustainability. Besides the addition of sustainable affordable family housing to the community, other benefits of the project include the creation of 139 local jobs in San Jose in the first year and 35 jobs each year after. Child-friendly and sustainable Rockwood Park Rockwood Park was the former site of oil wells from approximately 1906 through (at least) 1970 when apartment houses were built. In 2000, the discovery of methane and sulfide gases leaking into the buildings required occupants to vacate the site, Through environmental investigations, the city determined the site was impacted by petroleum hydrocarbons. The City of Los Angeles used the RLF subgrant as gap funding to supplement a $200,000 EPA Brownfields Cleanup grant to remove petroleum-impacted soil and close a former oil well located on the site. Rockwood Park officially opened in May 2011, The half-acre community park offers areas for sitting or picnicking, and a play area for small children, The park incorporates sustainability features such as preserving existing onsite trees, planting additional trees to mitigate the heat island effect, using solar powered night lighting, and incorporating drought tolerant landscaping, ------- Subgrant 8: Alameda Recipient: City of Alameda Community Improvement Commission Project Name: Alameda Landing Amount: $200,000 hazardous substances subgrant Alameda Landing is an approximately 80-acre site that was formerly a Fleet Industrial Supply Center (FISC) for the U.S. Department of the Navy. FISC transferred ownership of the property to the City of Alameda in 2000 and the city subsequently transferred ownership to the Community Improvement Commission (CIC) (the city's redevelopment agency). The CIC is developing a mixed-use project consisting of 300,000 square feet of retail space, 400,000 square feet of office space, up to 300 residential units (25% of which will be affordable to moderate-, low-, and very low-income families), and a 10-acre waterfront park. Prior to development, the CIC used RLF subgrant funding to supplement the cost of removing and cleaning asbestos-containing and contaminated materials, demolish the remaining structure, and properly dispose of debris from a fire-damaged building. Subgrant 9: Visalia Recipient: City of Visalia Project Name: Civic Center Project Amount: $50,000 hazardous substances subgrant— remediation cost was only $43,102.59 The City of Visalia Redevelopment Agency purchased property formerly used as an auto repair facility and other historical industrial uses for the development of its Civic Center. In 2006, EPA awarded two Brownfields Cleanup grants to the city; however, additional contamination was discovered during remedial activities. RLF subgrant funding was used as gap financing to cover the additional cost of the remediation. The initial two phases of the Civic Center project, when completed, will eliminate public health issues from individuals potentially exposed to contamination and will provide needed public safety facilities for Visalia Police and Fire Departments. It is anticipated that phase one—streets and street infrastructure- will generate 77 construction jobs and phase two—public safety building—will generate 218 construction and trade jobs. It will also create the impetus for further revitalization in the city's East Downtown Area. Subgrant 10: Los Angeles Recipient: Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency Project Name: Crossing at 29th Street Project Amount: $277,000 hazardous substances loan In South-central Los Angeles (Crossings on 29th), a developer, the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency, and a local Council person sought to develop quality affordable housing on 11.57 acres. This ambitious multi-phased project was projected to cost $257 million. The Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency was awarded $1,183,475 in grant funding from California's CAL ReUSE program. While awaiting receipt of the CAL ReUSE grant monies, the developer secured RLF subgrant funding of $277,000 to help jump-start demolition, excavation, cleanup and grading activities. This RLF was allocated to the first phase of the project, which consists of approximately 45,000 square feet of land, with 33 affordable rental units, and a manager's unit. For additional information, please contact: Jennifer Black-Gallagher • JBlack@dtsc.ca.gov / Thomas Cota • TCota@dtsc.ca.gov Region 9 Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Success Story July 2012 Subgrants www.epa.gov/brownfields ------- |