From: Janes, Mike
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2000 11:21 AM
Subject: Brownfields case studies

Greetings Jon—Mike Janes here at The American Institute of Architects. I worked a lot with Mike Clemente during his tenure there at World News, but since his departure I've been trying to "widen the tent" to other producers.

Jon, I have a quick idea I thought might make for a nice "Closer Look" segment. We've all heard the term "brownfields" as it relates to economic growth and urban revitalization, but do people really understand how brownfields redevelopment works? Do community business leaders appreciate the potential upside of investing in a former industrial site? How 'bout looking at a case study or two, focusing on the economic advantages enjoyed by communities when they successfully revitalize an urban brownfield site?

Here are a couple of case studies that might offer an opportunity for further examination:

** CHARLOTTE. Charlotte (home to more than 800 brownfield sites) is the site of one of our best case studies in brownfields redevelopment. The city's south end, in particular, was plagued with environmental contamination and crime, primarily consisting of abandoned warehouses and railroad tracks with varying levels of soil and groundwater contamination. But Charlotte's booming real estate market encouraged the city to take a second look at the potential of these neglected sites.

Kevin Kelley, AIA, and Terry Shook, AIA, two architects with Shook Design Group, created a redevelopment vision for the South End of Charlotte in their master plan, the goal being to turn the brownfields area from a "sore spot to a hot spot." The centerpiece of the plan became the Charlotte Trolley that runs for about two miles from South End, through the Convention Center, and to the other side of downtown. The area is now known for its characteristic red brick buildings built to the street, pedestrian walkways, and recreational areas. The community is also home to both residential and commercial, entertainment, and small-industrial facilities.

**GLEN COVE, NY. Glen Cove may be an even better case study to look at, if only because it's still a work in progress. Talk about a hard-core brownfield site: The city of Glen Cove has been an industrial center for nearly 400 years, and its entire waterfront area has been listed by HUD as an 'urban blight area.' Its coastline consists of 214 acres of mostly contaminated, abandoned, and underused sites. Thirteen percent of households within a mile of the site have annual incomes under $15,000.

Mark Strauss, AIA, and Uwe Brandes, Assoc. AIA of Jambhekar Strauss Architects, developed the comprehensive Glen Cove Creek Revitalization Plan in late 1996. The objective? To make Glen Cove "a place people are attracted to, rather than a place people avoid." The master plan broke the 214 acres into seven zones. Features to be incorporated into the zones included a marina, a high-speed ferry terminal, a conference center, a hotel, a maritime museum, a waterfront gateway visitors center, an amphitheater, offices, shops, and restaurants.

With funding from EPA's Brownfields Showcase Community Program, federal and state agencies as well as private-sector investment, and the vision of architects Strauss and Brandes, Glen Cove leaders expect to rejuvenate their city by generating $200 million in annual sales and creating 1,700 full time jobs.

Kudos if you made it through this lengthy email, Jon. Let me know what you think of the idea(s), or if you want to talk about it further. I've got some supporting material, including the very impressive (and thick) Glen Cove Creek Revitalization Plan as it was originally drafted by the architects and presented to the City. Also, let me know if it's more appropriate for me to shop the idea to someone else at World News.

Thanks!

Mike Janes
Director, Media Relations
The American Institute of Architects
(202) 626-7467
mjanes@aia.org

Copyright 2001 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.