City of Richmond, partners to address abandoned, underused properties
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the City of Richmond Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), Henrico County Economic Development Authority (HEDA), and project:Homes (p:H), a 501(c)3 organization focusing on safe, affordable housing in Central Virginia, collectively hereinafter referred to as Coalition, with a $600,000 grant to assess properties under its Brownfields Program. The federal grant will provide funding for the City and its coalition partners to assess commercial and industrial properties in target areas with environmental contaminants and potential redevelopment or reuse opportunities.
“This Brownfields assessment grant is crucial to moving our region forward by helping to encourage redevelopment, recruit businesses, create well-paying jobs and revitalize neighborhoods in the City of Richmond and Henrico County”, said Keisha M. Birchett, Project Development Manager for the City of Richmond.
Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial properties where expansion, redevelopment or reuse is hindered by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance pollutants or contaminant.
“The first step in the process is to develop a database of Brownfield sites that will act as a catalyst, for reuse.” said Toney Hall Deputy Director of HEDA.
The initial target areas will identify sites along the Richmond Highway (formerly Jefferson Davis Highway) and Commerce Road corridors, properties around the Henrico Plaza, and properties along Mechanicsville Turnpike and the Laburnum Gateway. The Coalition will also work with owners of both public and private properties to conduct assessments and plan how these properties can be reused or redeveloped in the future. The database of sites will also be used to market sites to potential developers. Once a site has been selected for the program, EPA Brownfields grant funds for Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments can be accessed. Grant funds can also be used for lead-based paint and asbestos material surveys, mold studies, national historic preservation act applicability, and certain types of planning activities.
Lee Householder, CEO p:H said, “The EPA Brownfields grant has the potential to break down barriers, to reuse properties for affordable housing in the City and Henrico County.”
Draper Aden Associates, an environmental and civil engineering firm, will manage the implementation of the Brownfields grant program.
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