v>EPA www.epa.gov 1 Reuse and the Benefit to Community Calhoun Park Area Site Executive Summary In Charleston, South Carolina, over 100 years of industrial operations left a large area on the eastern side of the Charleston Peninsula contaminated with liquid coal tar. Innovation and collaboration among the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), the City of Charleston, and South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G), the site's responsible party, resulted in the successful cleanup and reuse of this valuable area. Stakeholders recognized that the site could provide commercial and recreational opportunities as well as improved access to cultural and community resources. The EPA worked with the community to ensure the compatibility of the site's phased remedy with these land uses. Today, the site's reuse demonstrates how integrating site remediation and redevelopment activities can create a wide range of opportunities for local communities. The site includes a 1,100-space city parking garage, the South Carolina Aquarium, commercial buildings at 25 Calhoun Street and 360 Concord Street, the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center and ferry terminal, and open green space for community events. SCE&G also owns and continues to operate an electrical substation on site. This case study explores the site's cleanup and reuse, illustrating the opportunities and beneficial effects of site redevelopment in action. Beneficial Effects • Site businesses employ over 400 people, providing annual employment income of over $24.2 million to the local community. • The South Carolina Aquarium is as a major tourist attraction, visited by over 5.3 million people since opening in 2000. • SCE&G's on-site substation supplies electricity to the Charleston Peninsula and outlying areas, serving about 22,000 customers. • The Fort Sumter Ferry operates from the site, connecting the community and visitors with valuable cultural and educational resources. • The city's 1,100-space parking garage enables workers and visitors to easily access the area. • The estimated market value of current commercial development and land slated for future development at the site exceeds $33 million. • In 2012, site properties generated over $490,000 in property tax revenue. March 2014 Figure 1; Aerial view of the site following redevelopment ------- Introduction Site remediation results in restored value to site properties and surrounding communities. Once a site property is ready for reuse, it can revitalize a local economy with jobs, new businesses, tax revenues and local spending. This case study captures the beneficial effects of development at the Calhoun Park Area site, both on-site and in the community. The site is located on the Charleston Peninsula in South Carolina, one block from Charleston Harbor (Figure 2). The site is generally defined as the area bordered by Charlotte, Washington, Laurens and Concord Streets (Figure 5). Immediately north of the SCE&G electrical substation, directly across Charlotte Street, the South Carolina State Ports Authority operates an intermodal transportation and storage facility. The Seaboard Railroad rail line borders the site to the west, along Washington Street. Light industrial and commercial areas and neighborhoods are located further west. The Cooper River is located east of the site. According to 2011 Census data, 122,689 people live in Charleston. Site History Historically, industries operating on and around the site included a manufactured gas plant (MGP), a steam generating plant, a wood treating plant, a coal tar and pine pitch refining plant, a paint and chemical manufacturer, and a shipyard. Based on the waste generated at the MGP and the contaminants at the site, the EPA and SC DHEC determined that the MGP was the major contributor of contamination. Following its construction in 1855, the MGP produced a combustible gas known as "town gas" by heating coal in the absence of oxygen. Plant operations also included distributing the gas to area homes and businesses as fuel for gas lamps and cooking stoves. The heating process used to separate the flammable gas from coal or oil produced waste byproducts, including liquid coal tar. The MGP originally operated as a coal-carbonization plant. It was later converted to a carbureted water-gas plant in 1910, which continued to produce gas until the plant f Charleston, South Carolina Figure 2: The site's location in Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina 2 ------- closed in 1957. Following the plant's closure and demolition in the late 1950s, a substantial amount of coal tar remained buried in the soil as the area was being developed with buildings, streets, and local infrastructure. SCE&G built its electrical substation on the site in the late 1970s. In 1991, the EPA and SC DHEC identified contamination from the MGP in soil, sediment and ground water at the site. Contaminants of concern included volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Localized areas of significant contamination corresponded to locations associated with MGP storage tanks and a railcar loading area, the former steam plant, and an oil-water separator discharge line. Since SCE&G's predecessor companies owned and operated the MGP, SCE&G took on full responsibility for site investigations and cleanup. Property Cleanup and Transformation The EPA divided the site into two separate areas, known as operable units 1 and 2 (OU1 and OU2), to best address the different areas and types of contamination at the site. OU1 addresses contaminated soil and shallow ground water. OU2 addresses contamination in deeper ground water and sediment along the Cooper River. The EPA, SC DHEC and SCE&G worked together to clean up the site in a way that would protect public health and the environment, while making redevelopment possible. Early in the cleanup process, the South Carolina Aquarium expressed interest in reusing part of the site property for a new, state-of-the-art aquarium. The City of Charleston also wanted to provide more parking in the area to support additional development, The EPA scheduled a phased approach that prioritized the cleanup of these parcels and made them available for reuse. Figure 3: Past industrial activities at the site Figure 4: Removal of subsurface contaminants from 360 Concord Street 'The true investment of the stakeholders in this project, and the sense of urgency that existed to address the cleanup, played major roles in moving the entire project forward." - SCE&G Environmental Services Manager Thomas Effinger Although SCE&G removed more than 62,000 tons of tar-impacted soil from the area, coal tar remained in place under inaccessible areas. The location of the remaining source contamination created an obstacle for the cleanup process. Much of the contamination was below the SCE&G substation. Due to high voltage electrical equipment, streets and structures, these areas were not easily accessible. This meant that workers could not use conventional excavation techniques to remove the source material. 3 ------- Because the substation supplies electricity to the entire Charleston Peninsula and outlying areas, it was critical that this substation remain in service. The logistics and cost of building another substation would have been impractical. Additionally, there were limited alternate locations in downtown Charleston where SCE&G could have built a new substation. Following removal efforts in the accessible areas, the EPA, SC DHEC and SCE&G developed a way for the utility to continue cleanup activities in inaccessible areas without disrupting the substation's operations. SCE&G used several innovative techniques for the cleanup. The remedial design included installing source recovery wells to remove contamination from areas covered by existing buildings and structures. SCE&G also worked with the U.S. Geological Survey to use vegetation to remove contamination from the subsurface. SCE&G authorized the planting of trees on their substation property to take up contaminated ground water through their root systems. The utility estimates that these trees take up as much as 105,000 gallons of contaminated ground water over an eight-month growing season. In 2006, in recognition of these innovative approaches to ground water cleanup, SCE&G received the Southern Gas Association's Environmental Excellence Award in Technology. In addition, SCE&G addressed contaminated sediment in the Cooper River. The remedy included installation of a cap over contaminated sediments and shoreline restoration efforts. These activities helped reestablish ecological habitat in the area. SCE&G followed South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Program guidelines to create a shellfish habitat area and protect the shoreline from erosion. SCE&G completed the cap in 2006. SCE&G conducted cleanup activities without affecting nearby businesses and tourist areas. For example, the utility retrofitted ground water monitoring wells to blend in with "It's been great working with a private corporation bluestone walkways and the visual character of the area. (SCE&G) that's so sharp and proactive in addressing the cleanup and redevelopment of the site." Current remediation and maintenance activities on site include monitoring ground water, pumping tar from the , -EPA Site Manager KenMallary subsurface and maintaining the pumping system. The tar is (T) Charlotte Street Park (6) IMPS Fort Sumter Visitor Education ~) 360 Concord Street Center and Ferry Terminal ) South Carolina Aquarium © City Parking Garage @ SCE & G Substation ® 25 Calhoun Office Building (5) Liberty Square (|) Former Ansonborough Homes Property Figure 5: Major site reuses 4 ------- collected in 55-gallon drums, sent off site for recycling and blended into fuel to power cement kilns. Between May 2000 and November 2012, tar pumping operations removed over 26,000 gallons of coal tar. Throughout the site's cleanup, EPA and SC DHEC staff met regularly with SCE&G and local officials to share information and bring reuse ideas into the cleanup process. The EPA also held public information sessions to update the community on site activities. The EPA-led meetings served as forums for community questions, concerns and priorities for the site's cleanup and reuse. There were also several collaborative meetings between SCE&G, the city and the private developers involved at the site. The EPA and SC DHEC attended those meetings to facilitate discussions, answer questions and ensure the protectiveness of the remedy during redevelopment activities. This open communication and transparent information sharing built community trust and strengthened working relationships. As the site's cleanup progressed, community support for reuse grew. Beneficial Effects The site's cleanup had a significant positive effect on the local economy. Today, the site is the location of the SCE&G electrical substation, many businesses, parking areas, the South Carolina Aquarium, the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center and ferry terminal, and open space for community events. The area surrounding the site, now known as the Aquarium Wharf District, benefits from significant public and private investment. SCE&G Charlotte Street Electrical Substation SCE&G built the Charlotte Street Electrical Substation in the late 1970s to better supply Charleston and outlying areas with electricity. The 230-kilovolt substation is the primary substation that distributes electricity to the Charleston Peninsula and outlying areas, serving about 22,000 customers. A single remediation contractor works from an office at the substation on a near full-time basis. His responsibilities include conducting and overseeing ongoing cleanup and ground water monitoring activities. The South Carolina Aquarium Even in the early days of site investigation, the City of Charleston wanted to use part of the site as a home for a new South Carolina Aquarium. Once the proper approvals were in place, the city provided $10.5 million in funding and managed construction of the facility. Charleston County and the State of South Carolina contributed another $19 million. The South Carolina Aquarium opened in May 2000; as of July 2011, over 5.3 million people had visited. The aquarium is a major tourist attraction and provides the local community with educational opportunities and public services. The aquarium's education department presents daily interpretive programs and staff members participate in research and Hi-_ 1 wml l Figure 6: The SCE&G substation Figure 7: View of the South Carolina Aquarium and Liberty Square ------- conservation efforts with local, state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other research facilities. The South Carolina Aquarium offers over 60 exhibits, and is home to over 6,000 plants and animals. The aquarium also hosts special events. The aquarium's business practices and operations encourage others to reduce, reuse and recycle and practice eco-friendly living. Aquarium staff and volunteers are committed to recycling paper, cardboard, glass and aluminum, recycling 31.5 tons of material in 2007. The aquarium also provides bikes for employees to run errands to help conserve fuel. The South Carolina Aquarium's staff includes 92 employees and over 400 volunteers in various areas, from education and husbandry to marketing and institutional advancement. Paid positions provide the local community with about $2 million annually in employment income. The aquarium also offers volunteer and intern opportunities for high school and college students. A conservative estimate by the city in 2002, shortly after the South Carolina Aquarium opened, indicated that the City of Charleston's project investment of $10.5 million ultimately resulted in over $112 million in public and private investment on adjacent parcels. The South Carolina Aquarium and the Calhoun Park Area won a Phoenix Award at the 2002 EPA Brownfields Conference in recognition of the site's successful cleanup and reuse. City Parking Garage As part of the South Carolina Aquarium project, the City of Charleston looked at land uses near the site. Early plans for the aquarium included a large surface parking lot to serve the facility and cap contamination in place. Rather than dedicate most of the site for parking, the City of Charleston instead built a smaller-scale parking garage that would meet the parking demands of the aquarium and surrounding development, facilitating those projects The city built the garage on site next to the SCE&G substation. The parking garage employs the equivalent of six full-time staff, contributing about $112,000 in annual income to the local community. Liberty Square The placement of the parking garage away from the aquarium made possible the creation of Liberty Square, a National Park Service facility maintained by the City of Charleston as public open space. The South Carolina Aquarium and Cooper River skyline serve as the scenic backdrop to Liberty Square. The community space is the home to the city's annual "First Day Festival" back-to-school event, many aquarium-related events, and varied special events, including Civil War gatherings and the Governor's Conference reception. Strategically positioned along the waterfront and in front of the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center, millions of people have enjoyed visiting Liberty Square. x ^ ^ „ ^ r 11 o 7 -i Figure 8: The entrance to Liberty Square Former Ansonborough Homes Property Public housing once stood on the part of the site now referred to as the Ansonborough Homes property. Site investigations determined that MGP operations had contaminated the area. Following Hurricane Hugo in 1989, the area was no longer habitable and residents relocated. Following the demolition of the damaged public housing development in 1992, the city purchased the property from the Charleston Housing Authority in 1997 6 ------- Today, following cleanup of the area, Ansonborough Fields Park is located on the southern end of the property. The park includes two soccer fields and a large playground. Two private developments known as Concord Park are also underway in the area. As part of the development agreement, the City is creating Gadsdenboro Park. The 5-acre park will include two more soccer fields and another playground. The project is nearing construction. In addition to the new soccer fields and playground, Gadsdenboro Park will include decorative fountains and landscaping. The sale of portions of the former Ansonborough Homes property to developers raised money to help fund Gadsdenboro Park and also resulted in extensive private investment and commercial development on the site. The City sold 3.5 acres on the north and south ends of the property for redevelopment in 2007. As part of the $16 million deal, the buyer committed to include affordable housing in its plans. The proceeds are also being used to fund affordable housing projects at several other locations in Charleston. Private development at the former Ansonborough Homes property is currently underway and will include subsidized housing units, market rate units, commercial offices, retail areas and restaurants. In 2013, the Housing Authority of the City of Charleston broke ground on a senior citizen apartment facility, called Williams Terrace Senior Housing. When finished, the new senior housing facility will include 41, one-bedroom units available to seniors 65 and over. Williams Terrace Senior Housing is scheduled to open in June 2015. 25 Calhoun Office Building The Concord Park development agreement was reached via a Request for Proposals process that allowed potential developers to compete to purchase and develop the Ansonborough Homes property. The Request for Proposals had specific development requirements, including affordable housing, Class A office space and public space improvements. The four-story 25 Calhoun office building is an outcome of the agreement. The building includes 63,000 square feet of leasable space. One of Charleston's premier office buildings, the building has a 93 percent occupancy rate, providing space for multiple businesses and economic growth for the once-blighted area. Figure 9: Development underway at the former Ansonborough Homes property Figure 10: Gadsenboro Park Plan Figure 11: The 25 Calhoun office building 7 ------- Completed in fall 2011, 25 Calhoun is LEED-certified, combining modern architecture with leading edge green design. Table 1 provides more information about each of the businesses currently located at 25 Calhoun. YCR '! "foung Clement Rivers. LLP baii\d •t : ~ Class A Offices NOW LEASING i John Durlach Darby Siegel. 1643)723.2848 |M3)819.2557 DURLACH Holder 2f 1 Propbcties | Av . SmithMoore yf IJEATHERWOOD ll Figure 12: Business signs at 25 Calhoun Table 1: Businesses Located at 25 Calhoun Total Estimated Number of Annual Income Business Name Business Description Employees Generated3 Cooper River Realty, LLC Real estate company 2 $92,560 Durlach Associates Property management services for the office building 7 $364,000 Parkshore Centre 1 Limited Partnership Real estate leasing company 1 $23,504 Parish Colliers International, Inc. Global real estate company 39 $916,656 Robert W. Baird 8s Co., Incorporated Investment brokerage and advisory services 10 $2,679,560 Smith Moore Leatherwood, LLP Law firm 15 $1,050,660 Sumter Specialty Insurance Company Insurance company 2 $99,112 Thesys Technologies, LLC Computer programming company 4 $294,320 Wallace G. Holland Law firm 2 $140,088 Young Clement Rivers, LLP Law firm 119 $8,335,236 7 Calhoun Boutique Hotel & Residences (East-West Partners) Sales office for a hotel and residential development called "7 Calhoun." NA NA NA- Information not available a - Value rounded to the nearest $100 360 Concord Street The privately owned building at 360 Concord Street is located east of the SCE&G substation at the corner of Concord and Charlotte Streets. A few of the businesses operating in the building include The Art Institute of Charleston's Digital Film Video Production and Photographic Imaging campus, BiblioLabs and the Charleston Schooner Pride. ------- • Students interested in filmmaking can pursue a Digital Filmmaking & Video Production Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at this satellite campus of The Art Institute of Charleston. • The hybrid software-media company BiblioLabs works with institutions around the world — finding new audiences for historical books, maps, images, documents, sounds and moving images they digitize and curate. Since opening in 2006, BiblioLabs has grown from a staff of four to 26 with revenues of $17.5 million in 2011. • The Charleston Schooner Pride is an 84-foot-tall ship modeled after the 18th century coastal trading schooners that once frequented the harbor. The ship offers daily cruises, private charters and special events in Charleston Harbor. Table 2 shares more information about the businesses located at 360 Concord Street. Figure 13 shows several of the businesses. Figure 13: Businesses at 360 Calhoun St. Table 2: Businesses Located at 360 Calhoun Street Total Estimated Number of Annual Income Business Name Business Description Employees Generated3 Applied Technology & Coastal, environmental, marine and water resources 8 $626,080 Management engineering, design and consulting firm BiblioLabs Hybrid software media company 21 $894,348 Bluefish Fitness Club Fitness club 30 $365,040 Campsen & Campsen Law office 3 $210,132 Charleston Chiropractic Chiropractic office providing chiropractic, massage NA NA and Therapy LLC therapy and physiotherapy services Charleston Cruise Tourist cruise line 1 $29,380 Company, LLC Charleston Schooner Pride 49-passenger U.S. Coast Guard-certified ship that 2 $27,560 LLC operates out of the Aquarium Wharf Cypress Insurance Insurance company 2 $99,112 Advisors Exhale Pilates Studio Pilates studio 2 $24,336 Fort Sumter Tours, Inc. Tourist cruise line 8 $235,040 Ft. Sumter Tours & Tourist cruise line 2 $43,784 Spiritline Jafza Americas Financial advisory services company 5 $251,680 Jones Trading Investment trading company NA NA 9 ------- Total Estimated Number of Annual Income Business Name Business Description Employees Generated3 Laclede Insurance Risk Insurance agency 2 $99,112 Services, Inc. Morgan Keegan & Investment banking company 19 $5,091,164 Company, Inc. Raymond James Securities brokerage NA NA The Art Institute of Satellite campus of The Art Institute of Charleston, a NA NA Charleston branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta The Cooper River Bridge Cooper River Bridge Run headquarters 1 $62,816 Run, Inc. NA- Information not available a - Vaiue rounded to the nearest $100 Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center and Ferry Terminal Historic Fort Sumter is located in the middle of Charleston Harbor and is accessible only by boat. The National Park Service's Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center is located at Liberty Square and is the primary ferry departure facility for visiting the fort. The Center allows visitors to explore interpretive and visual exhibits, with park rangers available to answer their questions. The ferry departure point is one of only two ferry terminal points serving Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter Tours and Spirit!ine Cruises are the authorized ferry service providers for the fort. The companies also offers cruises, harbor tours, private charters and weddings. The business employs a total of 10 people and provide about $278,000 in annual income to the local community. Future Site Use International African American Museum Historical research revealed that Gadsden's Wharf, an 800-foot waterfront area immediately east of the site, was the arrival point in the United States for many enslaved Africans. These few acres witnessed one of the world's most pivotal human migrations; no other place in the country experienced such an influx of enslaved Africans. The City of Charleston is working with the National Park Service to create an authentic visitor experience and recognize the place where thousands of slaves first set foot on American soil The International African American Museum will share this history with visitors and encourage them to explore it at historic houses, plantations, Figure 14: The Fountain Walk at 360 Calhoun St. Figure 15; The Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center Figure 16: The Fort Sumter Ferry Terminal ------- buildings and other African American heritage sites. The museum promises to be a major asset in the revitalization of Charleston's downtown eastern waterfront area.1 Plans are underway to build the International African American Museum on the property located between the city parking garage and Liberty Square. Figure 17: Signs display information about the African-American history of Gadsen's Wharf Charlotte Street Park Just northwest of Liberty Square, Charlotte Street Park opened to the public in 2013. Built at the end of the Harborwalk waterfront walkway along the Cooper River, the park recognizes the rich history and contributions of Irish immigrants in Charleston. Wharf EPA Region 4 Excellence in Site Reuse Award EPA Region 4 created the "Excellence in Site Reuse" award to recognize those who have gone above and beyond in supporting redevelopment through outstanding efforts when redeveloping a site. On November 8, 2012, EPA Region 4 honored SCE&G and the City of Charleston with the Excellence in Site Reuse Award for their roles in the cleanup and redevelopment of the Calhoun Park Area site. The award ceremony took place at Liberty Square. The photos below show a few of the ceremony highlights. "It was nice being able to participate in the awards ceremony and see how appreciative everyone was to the stakeholders for the great cleanup work and redevelopment efforts". - EPA Site Manager Ken Mallary 1 For additional International African American Museum information, please visit: http:/www. iaamuseum.org. 11 ------- Conclusion The successful cleanup and redevelopment of the Calhoun Park Area site is a testament to the flexibility, dedication and hard work of the community, SCE&G, the EPA, the City of Charleston, SC DHEC and the many developers involved in the project. The site's cleanup protected public health and the environment, while the phased cleanup approach supported new development and enabled the continued operation of vital public services. Today, site uses support local economic growth, providing 400 jobs and over $24.2 million in annual employee income. These uses also generate substantial tax revenues and provide educational, cultural and recreational opportunities for visitors and Charleston communities. Looking to the future, the site's cleanup has also set the stage for additional redevelopment in the area. For more information about EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Initiative (SRI), visit: 12 ------- |