by Vincent Carbone, Senior Geologist, HDR, Inc.

Over the years, the redevelopment of brownfields has matured. In fact, in some cases the process of acquiring funding, characterizing sites, remediating and finally redeveloping them has become somewhat routine.  For those fortunate enough to have received funding from federal or state agencies and through economic incentives, redevelopment has been a success.  In most cases, these communities had the ability and organization to assist them in the planning, development, and rehabilitation of properties.  With the assistance of economic development corporations and supportive communities willing to develop their most pressing redevelopment needs, the properties were easy to prioritize and redevelop.  

Now more than ever the need is fixed on those communities that do not have the means or the expertise to manage a portfolio of smaller properties impacting a community.  Perhaps the issue is a highway corridor providing entrance into a key demographic or community.  Perhaps it is an old commercial strip mall that fronts an old industrial complex. For certain it’s not the 1,500 acres of Bethlehem Steel or any one of that prime brownfield’s redevelopment successes, but rather a project with a diverse demographic with little or no vision as how to go about redevelopment from an economic, environmental, or power perspective.  

The Need for a Playbook

It’s time to move to another level of maturity, to make brownfield redevelopment accessible to this less equipped type of community.  But they need help. They need vision. They need a Brownfields Redevelopment Playbook, which provides a holistic summary of the three key factors that make for successful property community redevelopment: Economics, Power/ Infrastructure, and Environmental Stewardship.  This is the first step to helping communities with limited resources prioritize their diverse and unique blend of many properties into a workable vision and plan.  

Economics

Economics is the lifeblood of community redevelopment, but what types of business are appropriate for the community? Will the community demographics be better suited for one industry or another?  What are the current and future economic trends for the locality or region?  What investments should be made to support those trends?  The playbook should provide a framework of the economic drivers for the community and provide both short-term, mid and long-term goals for revitalization to meet those needs.      What industry “fits” with the community that will bring benefits and job creation to the locality and region.  

Power and Infrastructure

With redevelopment comes the need for infrastructure upgrades and efficiency to support new industry or just an aging utility network.  With the development of data centers and battery energy storage facilities, the need for power, water and infrastructure (water, sewer, natural gas, fiberoptics/broadband and power) is immense and poses several questions.  Can the power and utility infrastructure of the community support the proposed redevelopment?  What types of power generation are available for that area?  Is the water supply or wastewater treatment sufficient to address the proposed redevelopment? Can renewable energy supplement in design the more traditional forms of generation?  Short term, mid and long-term needs reflect the economic incentives.  The Playbook can identify infrastructure needs to support proposed economic development and attract business, provide renewable energy resources to the region, and can be integrated with redevelopment on brownfields that have limited options to redevelopment. 

Environmental

Environmental stewardship is the protection of human health and the environment. But it also encompasses the risk and enhancement of natural features such as wetlands or other sensitive habitats.  It also includes a community’s culture and providing enough green and recreational space for the community to enjoy the redevelopment and to enhance the life of occupants of the area.  Together with the economics section, the playbook can identify federal and state brownfields or economic development funds that can be pursued to make the vision a reality.  The playbook should also feature timelines for redevelopment, which can help set realistic goals and demonstrate phased approaches to redevelopment and community engagement.    

Comprehensive and Considerate

Looking at each of the elements individually – economics, power/infrastructure, and environmental—and holistically, playbooks can provide a Highest and Best Use (HABU) or what is considered the best fit for the community.  The Playbook can be used to support grant funding, community outreach, help plan for infrastructure upgrades and goes a long way toward demonstrating a comprehensive and considerate evaluation of improvement in brownfield redevelopment.  

The Author:

Vincent “Vinny” Carbone is a Professional Associate and Senior Geologist with HDR Engineering.  Vinny has been performing brownfields redevelopment services for over 33 years.  During his career he has brought his redevelopment experience to multiple market sectors including transportation, water, architecture, and power redevelopment. Working in HDR’s Bethlehem PA office, he has been redeveloping Bethlehem Steel, and the Lehigh Valley for over 25 years.  He currently is working on several playbooks supporting redevelopment of former coal power plants and former nuclear facilities including several industrial properties across the country.  He is experienced in property redevelopment with USEPA Brownfields grants and is and has been a Qualified Environmental Professional for several Cleanup Grants and Revolving Loan Funds.