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Vacant, underutilized, and potentially contaminated brownfield properties are present throughout Oregon, in rural and urban communities alike. where聽鈥渆xpansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant,鈥� and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates there are half a million across the country.

The good news, however, is that the presence of pollutants and damaged soil doesn鈥檛 mean that those sites cannot be redeveloped. Cleaning up and reusing brownfields helps remove blight and reclaim space to meet a variety of community needs. Reuse of land also reduces the need and complexities of extending infrastructure to undeveloped land. In Oregon, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) can help remove environmental barriers to redevelopment by providing technical assistance to assist parties with investigating, cleaning up, and planning reuse of brownfields.

Brownfield sites have typically been forgotten, condemned, or abandoned (or some combination of all three). And whenever people hear the phrase 鈥渉azardous substance,鈥� they are understandably hesitant to get involved with funding projects on such properties 鈥� let alone live or work there. However, that once the topmost layer of contaminated soil is either capped or removed, brownfield sites are very safe for commercial or residential use. The agency also notes that the biggest danger in reviving brownfield sites is improper removal of pollutants. Cleanups should not be rushed and must be thorough.

In addition to properly redeveloped brownfield sites being safe, they can also generate jobs and redefine areas woefully passed over for second chances. Incentives are also attractive as the EPA has already allocated millions of dollars to the redevelopment of various brownfield sites in Oregon. This potential for economic development will only increase as private industry and government collectively work to reuse these abandoned sites, many of which are in desirable areas that make the return on investment very attractive.

We鈥檙e not implying that this type of redevelopment is easy. It takes time, permitting, experience, environmental review, and capital outlay. In addition to ameliorating hazardous materials, architects must also carefully locate below-grade utilities for potential removal, improvement, or relocation. And tearing down existing structures is expensive and must be accomplished safely 鈥� particularly when they sit atop contaminated sites. If any buildings are deemed historically significant, they may not be able to be torn down outright.

There are also social considerations, not the least of which is developers defending against accusations of gentrification. Urban living is already incredibly expensive, and newer, modern apartments come with a price tag. It is up to designers to work with communities to ensure that these new living centers are not only modern, clean, and safe but also affordable. A certain number of units must be set aside to ensure an equitable allocation of living space. We cannot imagine the future of cities without considering the needs and wishes of all people who live in them.

Several brownfield sites in the Portland-metro area have already been turned into thriving new developments. In Northeast Portland, a plot of land owned by Albina Fuel is now home to a 132,883-square-foot apartment complex called Grant Park Village. The site required installation of a permanent 鈥渃ap鈥� of contaminated subsurface soil during construction, ensuring no contaminants escape into the surrounding soil or water supply and keeping Grant Park Village residents and their broader neighborhood healthy and safe.

In North Portland, on the plot of a historic gas tank holder site riddled with colossal, buried tanks and abandoned foundation remnants, LRS Architects worked with a public utility to create a resilient, Category IV operations and resource center to serve the region. To remediate the brownfield, this site required an excavation that reached 27 stories deep, requiring 46,000 tons of backfill to create an accessible grade.

On the Washington side of the Columbia River, within sight of central Portland, LRS helped resuscitate two sites within a 32-acre brownfield created by an abandoned mill. LRS worked closely with environmental consultants to design the anchor waterfront commercial project around which a vibrant new neighborhood has emerged, as well as chic waterfront apartments that would have been unimaginable even a few short years ago because of the site contamination.

In the suburb of Oregon City, our firm guided a master plan re-envisioning the Rossman Landfill as Abernethy Green, a singular mixed-use, live-work-play destination. This property needed an extensive stormwater management plan to balance the grading for flood relief.

Too often, contaminated land within a city is forgotten and left behind. It is up to designers, contractors, civic officials, and community organizers to ensure that our cities experience the development renaissance that renovating brownfield sites can provide 鈥� and do so in a way that is sustainable and environmentally responsible. Working together, we can find creative and beneficial ways to apply architectural principles to repurpose brownfield sites that positively contribute to urban landscapes and benefit everyone in those communities.

What is good for Portland is good for Oregon 鈥� and for the entire country.

Greg Mitchell is an associate principal at LRS Architects. Contact him at 503-221-1121 or [email protected].

Mary Fierros Bower is a senior associate at LRS Architects. Contact her at 503-221-1121 or [email protected].

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither author nor the 91视频 guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.