Federal, state and local tax incentives and credits support brownfield redevelopment by providing site developers with financial assistance. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extends brownfield tax credits through various federal and state programs that: Let a brownfield developer redirect financial resources that are otherwise used to...

Environmental remediation costs include preliminary assessments, site investigations, feasibility studies, remedial actions and more. While some of these costs are fixed, many vary from site to site and can be a challenge to estimate. During environmental cleanup projects, developers often begin work only to realize there are significant difference...

Greyfields are commercial or retail sites, such as shopping centers, strip malls and big-box stores, that have been abandoned after a period of disinvestment. Unlike brownfields, greyfields are not necessarily contaminated, which makes them attractive candidates for redevelopment projects seeking to revitalize the surrounding community. Below, we d...

As a municipality or developer, you are committed to redeveloping unusable, contaminated properties in your community and transforming them into assets. Because of their history, though, these properties often require Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) before redevelopment can begin. A significant aspect of brownfield redevelopment invo...

Industrial activities such as manufacturing, mining, oil and fuel dumping, fertilizer application and improper waste disposal may contaminate the natural soil environment. The resulting heavy metals, organic and inorganic compounds, petroleum hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides present in the soil pose potential health ris...

Many communities suffer blight because of abandoned properties that do not generate value and pose a potential risk to public safety. Developers often consider abandoned properties — from small filling stations to industrial-scale factories — too complicated and costly for reuse. For municipalities, though, brownfield redevelopment projects offer o...

A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) represents the foundation of any responsible brownfield redevelopment project and provides legal protections for environmental liability, which is important for any landowner. The site assessment seeks to discover contaminants, hazardous substances or pollutants that may threaten site environmental...

An abandoned and underused brownfield is often an eyesore to the surrounding community. Additionally, brownfield sites present potential health and safety risks to community members. After redevelopment, though, the same contaminated site can enable sustainable land reuse and development, revitalize the local economy and transform the entire commun...

More than 450,000 brownfields across the U.S. are contaminated with lead, petroleum, asbestos, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants. Although redeveloping these brownfield sites holds immense potential for the local economy and the environment, municipalities often are unable to initiate such capital-intensive projects. A brownfie...

Fehr Graham Principal Joel Zirkle has worked on brownfield redevelopment for years to help communities throughout the Midwest littered with properties like the old Barber-Colman manufacturing complex in Rockford, Illinois. Many buildings that once employed hundreds, or even thousands of people, now sit abandoned and unsafe. Are you concerned about ...

Environmental due diligence, simply put, is how we summarize the environmental conditions of properties. The most common first step of environmental due diligence is a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), which was talked about in a blog post about brownfield redevelopment. Here, I’ll address some frequently asked questions about Phase I ES...

  Brownfield redevelopment transforms blighted, deteriorated and contaminated properties into community assets. The hope is to remove eyesores and entice development – everything from new parks, homes and retailers to commercial and industrial parks. To better understand brownfield redevelopment and its benefits, here are answers to some commo...