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Depot Park Will Turn Downtown Brownfield Into Stormwater Collection and Public Recreation Site
Turning first shovels of dirt on a polluted former freight-depot and gas-company site in downtown Gainesville, city, state, and federal officials recently launched a $24 million transformation - 35-acre Depot Park. Slated for full operation this summer, the park will contain three stormwater runoff collection ponds together with a variety of interspersed wetlands, nature and bike trails, botanical gardens, picnic spaces, and other public amenities to be built gradually over the next several years.
The city hopes to obtain additional state and federal grants for a pond-side amphitheater and is considering using the old freight depot for art exhibitions, meetings, and a small sandwich or ice cream shop. The 1907 half-block-long freight depot was temporarily moved to allow for soil cleanup resulting from solidified coal tar reaching up to 30 feet deep. During this time period, the nearby Depot Avenue stretch will be widened with bike lanes and lined with sidewalks on both sides.
Meanwhile, the 3.2-acre Phase I pond will already be collecting storm runoff from about 55 downtown acres to the north, purifying the water from suspended solids and other contaminants as it seeps into adjacent wetlands and eventually flows approximately one-half mile south into Sweetwater Branch Creek.
Early in 2007, construction will start on the 6.5-acre phase-two pond farther northeast, where soil contaminated by petroleum storage between the 1880s and the early 1950s was replaced with clean soil last year. The second pond located a foot higher, will collect storm runoff from about 40 downtown acres and 22 acres within the park itself. The second pond will be linked to the first pond and to a third pond located near the Regional Transit System's administration and bus maintenance complex through a meandering channel. The channel will be planted with native aquatic vegetation to assist with water purification, while bank rocks will enhance the landscaping effect.
The city of Gainesville is turning a contaminated industrial area into place of beauty for its residents.
Reprinted from Smart Growth Online. To view the source article, visit http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050220/LOCAL/50220020&SearchID=73200177597668
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New Brownfields Publication Available Online
State programs are at the forefront of the brownfields cleanup and redevelopment as both the public and private markets recognize the responsibilities and opportunities given to states in the federal brownfields law. Since the law took effect three year ago, many different approaches have been put into place to meet the multiple challenges and common objectives of brownfields cleanup and reuse. Several states have adopted sweeping new legislative changes to encourage cleanups.
The publication entitled, State Brownfields and Voluntary Response Programs: An Update from the States, explores the evolving landscape of state environmental, financial, and technical programs, including incentives designed to promote brownfields cleanup and redevelopment. This user-friendly tool looks at multiple components of state brownfields and voluntary response programs, providing a synopsis of each state's response programs with contact information.
To view this publication online, visit the EPA brownfields web site at http://www.epa.gov/brownfields .
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Call for Brownfields 2005 Presentations
Denver, CO will host the 10th annual meeting of the national brownfields conference from November 2-4, 2005. Brownfields 2005: Celebrating a Decade of Progress will feature more than 200 exhibitors and three full days of educational and networking opportunities. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the premier national and international event in brownfields reuse. Participants will have the chance to attend numerous educational sessions covering key issues facing brownfields professionals, popular mobile workshops and walking tours, and the Brownfields Transaction Forum. In order to create an exceptional educational experience, your perspective on the most important and relevant issues facing brownfields practitioners is welcomed.
To suggest a presentation online or to download a printable Call for Presentations form to mail in, visit http://www.brownfields2005.org/en/ideas.aspx . Please note the Call for Presentations deadline is April 29, 2005.
To register for Brownfields 2005, visit http://www.brownfields2005.org .
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2005 Phoenix Awards Program Call for Nominations
The Phoenix Awards™, Recognition for Excellence in Brownfield Redevelopment, are widely recognized as the outstanding award for achievement of excellence in brownfields redevelopment. This prestigious award recognizes one winner from each of EPA's 10 regions. Additional winners are selected for Community Impact Awards, recognizing exceptional projects in smaller communities.
Award-winning projects are showcased at the national Brownfields 2005 Conference and receive handcrafted crystal trophies presented during an awards ceremony. They also receive recognition in professional journals, newspapers, and on the Internet as a Featured Site at www.brownfields.com .
To nominate your project for this prestigious award, apply soon! The 2005 Phoenix Awards application deadline is June 30, 2005. Applications are available on The Phoenix Awards web site at http://www.phoenixawards.org .
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Marquette Hotel/Southeast Missouri University Building Cleanup Completed
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources issued a certificate of completion for the Marquette Hotel and Southeast Missouri University (SEMO) building site in Cape Girardeau for the cleanup of lead-based paint and asbestos in both buildings.
Since its construction in the late 1920s, the Marquette Hotel has a history of retail businesses and restaurants on the first floor and a hotel on the other four stories. The property is located in the heart of the downtown business district in Cape Girardeau. In October 2002, Prost Builders Inc. retained Lafser & Associates Inc. (L&A) to perform a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment for the property it was acquiring at 338 Broadway Street in Cape Girardeau. Prost Builders Inc. is redeveloping the Marquette Hotel and SEMO print building, located across Fountain Street, into new office buildings. Parts of the SEMO Building are being renovated while other parts will be demolished for additional office space.
Site assessments revealed suspect lead-based paint, asbestos, and fluorescent light tubes (suspected of containing PCB and mercury) in both buildings. A 250-gallon underground fuel storage tank was also found in the alley east of Fountain Street and north of the former Marquette Hotel parking garage. The light tubes were removed and recycled by a qualified contractor. The underground storage tank was removed and recycled. Approximately 15 cubic yards of soil from the tank excavation were removed and transported off-site for proper disposal in a special waste landfill.
Mead Environmental Associates Inc. did a cleanup of the lead-based paint and asbestos from both buildings, but some lead-based paint remains in both buildings. Since lead-based paint was encapsulated in both buildings an operation and maintenance plan has been filed in the property chain of title.
For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources at 1-800-361-4827 or (573) 526-8913 or visit http://www.dnr.mo.gov/alpd/hwp/hwpvcp.htm .
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