BROWNFIELDS CASE STUDIES
Across the great state of Arizona, many communities are looking to revitalize areas that were once thriving. Some of your favorite areas from around the State may have been originally a part of the Brownfield Program.
Scroll below to see a few recent Brownfield projects here in Arizona.
TEMPE MARKETPLACE
What is now the site of a $250 million shopping, restaurant and entertainment center recently was the location of a $30 million cleanup in Tempe.
Tempe Marketplace, at the intersection of Loops 101 and 202, once was an industrial parcel impacted by pollution and classified as a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Over a decade the property was not well regulated," said Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman. "There were some business practices going on there that were less than honorable in my opinion." David Larcher, executive vice president of Vestar Development, developer of Tempe Marketplace, told The Business Journal in January the property had become filled with wrecking yards and industrial sites. The property had three landfills over 10 years and contained high levels of methane gas, contaminated soil and hazardous materials.
After a successful Brownfields Program the area is now one of the largest shopping hubs in all of Arizona.
Hayden Motel Site
Soon after taking office in 2017, Gila County Supervisor, Woody Cline was approached by the Mayor of Hayden, Arizona regarding an old motel site located in Hayden. The mayor advised that the building was falling down and that debris from the building was blowing into the streets of their town. The building was located on route 277, a main route through the communities of Hayden and Winkelman, and over the years, the building had been nicknamed “the asbestos motel”. Supervisor Cline was unaware of the situation, and he made a trip along with his assistant to check into the building and its condition. After visiting the site and taking pictures to document the motel’s condition, county staff began to investigate how we could address the problem and determine if asbestos and lead were present.
Working with Travis Barnum and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), county staff was able to wade through the issues and put together a plan of action getting assessments performed, and both buildings demolished in less than two years. Gila County has not only cleared the property of the buildings, but also brought in ramada covers and picnic tables providing the community with a parking area for large trucks and RV’s traveling through the area. What once had been an eyesore has become an asset.
Phase 1: Removal of the motel:
Grant funds: $13,000 for the asbestos and lead assessment/survey: $95,000 for removal of the building and hazardous materials. Total Brownfields grant funds: $108,000
Phase 2: Removal of building next door (shared a common wall):
Grant funds: $15,000 for the asbestos and lead assessment/survey: $51,000 for removal of the building and hazardous materials. Total Brownfields grant funds: $66,000
County investment: $49,000 for concrete foundation removal and $36,000 for gravel to cover the empty lots. Total county investment: $85,000
GILA COUNTY RV PARK
The RV Park property was perceived to have environmental contamination due to oil drums that were dumped on the west side of the property several years ago. Through the Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) conducted on the property, it was determined that there was no environmental contamination and the property was cleared for development.
Currently the plot of land hosts one of the best RV parks in all of Gila County!
SOUTH 12th AVE - TUCSON
The City of Tucson received a $300,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Assessment Grant award to conduct environmental assessments in La Doce.
From the start of the Brownfields Assessment and throughout the renovation project the City of Tuscon is fully redeveloping an entire part of their community.
You can view their full plan by clicking on the button below!
