Westward Ho Planning for new neighborhood growth and attainable housing in Laramie, WY Project Summary Community: Laramie, Wyoming Technical Assistance: Site Design Former Use: Railyard Future Use: Mixed use, residential, open space The West Side in Laramie, Wyoming is the oldest neighborhood in the City and sits at the geographic heart of the community. However, throughout its history, the West Side has been home to several industrial properties such as the Union Pacific railyard, which have left environmental pollution adjacent to an otherwise vibrant community. Today, Laramie is focused on the revitalization of this eclectic and historic community to improve the quality of life for residents and remove any barriers for future investment. The Community's Challenge The West Side Laramie 4G Enterprise site (4G site) is located west of downtown Laramie and covers about 46 acres next to the West Side neighborhood. The site is primarly vacant and bounded by the Laramie River, which is prone to severe flooding in times of high precipation. The site is a former Union Pacific railyard and offers ample space for community expansion and new housing developments that could combat the rising costs of housing facing Laramie residents. EPA's Land Revitalization Technical Assistance In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Land Revitalization Program provided contractor technical assistance to complete a site design for the 4G property. the adjacent community and expand opportunities for commercial activity and new residential development to create a new Laramie neighborhood. The site plan focuses on a mix of uses that could support new housing units, including a commercial center with a grocery store and live-work spaces. To address housing affordability challenges, the plan provides a wide range of housing types such as accessory dwelling units, apartments, townhomes, and single-family units. Finally, the location of the parcel adjacent to the Laramie River was a major consideration of the site design. The plan leaves a wide floodplain open as recreational space and weaves in several options for green infrastructure to manage additional stormwater runoff created by new development. The plans provide a community-informed vision for a significant parcel in Laramie and can act as a guide for future public decisions and private development. Rendering of future West Side Laramie neighborhood and mixed- use development. For more information, contact Melisa Devincenzi, EPA Region 8 Brownfields Program, at devincenzi.melisa@epa.gov or Stacey Eriksen at eriksen.stacev@epa.gov. While the design focuses on the single parcel, the final designs consider how the redevelopment could influence *>EPA United States Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization Environmental Protection Agency 560-F-22-039 ------- |