Brownfields Program Action Plan
City of Trenton
Better Environmental Solutions for Trenton (BEST)
Advisory Committee
June 2014
Front cover art: “Flip” by Kate Graves. Watercolor depic ng Powerhouse site, part of proposed Assunpink Greenway Rear cover art: "Roebling #2" by Kate Graves (2012). Watercolor depic ng uniden fied Roebling Complex Building Table of Contents Execu ve Summary 1.0 Introduc on 2.0 Trenton Brownfields Program Goal Statement 3.0 Accomplishments 4.0 Measuring Success 5.0 Trenton Brownfield Program Objec ves 6.0 Five‐Year Outlook 7.0 Conclusion A achment 1 Trenton Brownfields Program Key Milestones A achment 2 Funds Leveraged by the Trenton Brownfields Program A achment 3 Selected Publica ons and Presenta ons A achment 4 Selected Brownfield Site Redevelopment Projects A achment 5 List of Trenton Brownfield Sites Executive Summary
The City of Trenton’s Brownfields Program was established in 1994 when a empts to revitalize the City of Trenton met with one of several significant obstacles, that is: the difficulty in funding and implemen ng the environmental assessment, inves ga on and remedia on necessary to safely and successfully redevelop the City’s numerous brownfield sites. Other obstacles that demonstrated the need for the Brownfields Program included low property values and lack of private‐sector interest. In order to support the efforts of the new Brownfields Program, the Be er Environmental Solu ons for Trenton (BEST) Commi ee was established to provide support and guidance, and to be a connec on to the community through outreach and educa on. The City of Trenton’s Brownfields Program now has a 20‐year record of success through performance and integrity, and has maintained a high level of support from the City’s leadership, a necessary component for success. City administra ons have come to depend on the Brownfields Program, o en being the “first in” and “last out” of many of the City’s revitaliza on projects. Brownfields Program Accomplishments have included: 
The receipt of six pres gious, na onal Phoenix Awards for Brownfields Develop‐
ment; more than any other city in the U.S.; 
Individual and Programma c Awards for brownfields leadership at na onal and state levels; 
Leveraging over $40 million dollars in funding for the assessment, inves ga on and remedia on of numerous sites, and for open‐space development; 
Redevelopment of over 50 brownfields sites in the City, that together represent 165 acres of land, being approximately 3.5 percent of the land area of the City. The Brownfields Program will con nue to be managed in order to: 
Leverage addi onal funding for remedia on and redevelopment; 
Advocate for con nued aid to municipal brownfields programs; 
Educate and serve the public; 
Develop and maintain rela onships with public and private partners; 
Maintain databases and lists of city brownfield sites for program metrics, property marke ng and other purposes; 
Be a leader at state and na onal levels for brownfields program management and policy development; and 
Promote site‐specific, area‐wide and city‐wide redevelopment strategies; The brownfields program will also con nue to sup‐
port the revitaliza on efforts of the Department of Housing & Economic Development, the vision of the City’s current and future leadership, and work with other internal and external partners for the benefit of the City of Trenton. Execu ve Summary 2 1.0 Introduction
Brownfields are any former or current property that is current‐
ly vacant or underu lized and on which there has been, or there is suspected to have been, a discharge of a contaminant. These brownfield include, but are not limited to, old commercial and industrial sites common to “post‐industrial Trenton. Despite being confronted with the challenges that come along with the redevelopment of poten ally contami‐
nated proper es in an urban se ng, Trenton’s award‐winning Brownfields Program has successfully led to the establishment of new residen al, public use, open space, commercial and industrial uses throughout the city. Further, the city has lever‐
aged tens of millions of dollars for redevelopment since its incep on and has successfully redeveloped more than 50 sites. Purpose of the Brownfields Program Ac on Plan This Brownfields Program Ac on Plan is intended to provide the City of Trenton with a blueprint for ac on to maintain a successful, sustainable Brownfields Program, by se ng forth program components and associated metrics. The Plan allows the City to monitor progress and accomplishments rela ng to funding, remedia on and redevelopment. The Plan provides a policy framework and ar culates those components associated with implementa‐
on that are believed to be essen al to its con nued success. These components consist of: financing and economic sustainability; partnerships and outreach; site iden fica on and brownfields inventory; brownfields leadership; brownfields marke ng; area‐wide brownfields programs; and regulatory ma ers. This framework is in tended to represent the city’s commitment to redevelop‐
ment and includes several important policy goals. Program components, detailed in Sec on VI, include a descrip on of significant implementa on ac vi es along with specific recommenda ons for city considera on. Central to the success of Trenton's program was the establish‐
ment of the Be er Environmental Solu ons for Trenton (BEST) Advisory Council in 1996. The Council, a broad‐based group of government officials, a orneys, realtors, developers, commu‐
nity representa ves, engineering professionals, lenders, and academia, func ons to provide integrated and expert advice on a variety of issues related to brownfields cleanup and rede‐
velopment. BEST has been providing advice and assistance to the Trenton Brownfields Program for nearly 20 years, essen ally through the en re lifespan of the brownfields program. Its involve‐
ment in assis ng the city has covered a wide variety of aspects of the Trenton Brownfields Program ranging from legisla ve to site‐specific issues. BEST has undertaken a con nuing effort to provide recommenda ons through a “Brownfields Program Ac on Plan” for the City of Trenton. Completed residences at North Willow Green, the Warren Balderston brownfield site. First site in EPA Region 2 to u lize BCRLF Funding. Introduc on 4 2.0 Trenton Brownfields Program
Goal Statement
The Brownfield Program of the City of Trenton will serve as a nexus for the redevelopment of blighted property in the city, by assis ng the Department of Housing & Economic Development in bringing needed public space, services, housing, jobs and tax revenue. The brownfield program will be staffed with technical professionals who are looked to as na onal leaders in municipal brownfields redevelopment programs, and will u lize innova ve financing programs to the extent possible to achieve redevelopment goals. Brownfield site redevelopment is a key component in the revi‐
taliza on of Trenton and is crucial to the overall economic development of the city. Redevelopment of underu lized brownfield sites can be used to enhance Trenton’s neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for all of its ci zens, in addi on to increasing tax revenues in the long term. This Brownfields Program Ac on Plan helps move the Brownfields Program and the city toward this goal of city‐wide brownfields revitaliza on. An engaged Trenton municipal government must remain commi ed to the development and support of a visible, ac ve, and effec ve Brownfields Program. This program should be staffed with qualified personnel and funded to take full advantage of available local, state and federal resources necessary to facilitate the restora on and redevelopment of the city’s brownfield sites. Trenton’s Brownfields Program values the grassroots par cipa on of its ci zens, its neighborhoods, and its communi es in the establishment of site redevelopment priori es and goals and in the implementa on of its ac ons. Key program components and policies that have contributed to the overall success of the Brownfields Programs include: 
Ins ll a high level commitment and support of Trenton's brownfield goals through performance and track record; 
Successfully assessing nearly 100 sites, of which over 50 have been redeveloped; 
Maintain broad‐based representa ve support among the members of the City Administra on and Trenton City Council; maintained, in part, by providing high quality work product, efficient and ethical project management, and technical exper se; 
Inclusion of community leaders and neighborhood residents; 
Partnerships that form the basis for strong, long‐term rela onships with key stakeholders at the local, county, state and federal levels, as well as local private‐sector developers, landowners and the business community; 
Performing ac vi es in‐house as a means to save capital funding (by reducing reliance on professional subcontractors) and implementa on me, such as: workscope prepara on, environmental task delivery, historic research and regulatory nego‐
a ons and compliance; 
Funding, o en with grant money, a full‐ me Brownfields Coordinator for more than 15 years with support from a largely grant‐funded contractor for more than 10 years; 
Integra ng federal and state brownfield ini a ves into the Trenton Brownfields Program to maximize opportuni es for restora on projects; 
Successfully seeking out and employing a mul tude of funding sources, including more than $40 million in federal, state, county, municipal and private funding; and 
Contribu ng to State and Federal policy directly rela ng to the sustainability of municipal brownfields programs; 
Maintaining a revolving loan fund for mely site remedia on and restora on. Trenton Brownfield Program Goal Statement 6 3.0 Accomplishments
The Trenton Brownfields Program has been successfully sup‐
por ng the redevelopment of contaminated sites in the city for nearly 20 years. Key achievements over this me period have included the receipt of six Phoenix Awards for excellence in brownfields redevelopment for various projects in the city. Trenton has the dis nc on of winning more Phoenix Awards than any other community in the country, an important metric suppor ng our role as a na onal leader. The Trenton Brown‐
fields Program has received awards and recogni on from oth‐
er sources including the US Environmental Protec on Agency (EPA), NJ Department of Environmental Protec on (NJDEP), and the Interna onal City/County Management Associa on. Addi onal key milestones in the history of Trenton’s Brownfields Program are listed in A achment 1. and develop a more informed strategy for moving forward with brownfield redevelopment in Trenton. David Lloyd, Director of the Office of Brownfield Reuse at the Environmental Protec on Agency, was the first session’s inaugural speaker. Mr. Lloyd provided the group with an overview of the current state of brownfields at the Federal level, promising partnerships that have resulted from new mul ‐agency funding sources, and sugges ons for municipali‐
es on how to make their brownfield grant applica on pro‐
jects more compe ve. Mr. Lloyd informed us that funding for the brownfields program, for the most part, will be consistent in the future thanks to bipar san support at the na onal level. While the federal budgets were reduced somewhat last year, the brownfield program fared be er than other programs. Over the years, Trenton has leveraged its original $200,000 in EPA Brownfield Assessment Demonstra on Pilot funding to more than $40 million in funding from state and federal sources. A list of funding leveraged for the Trenton Brown‐
fields Program, including State and Federal environmental grants for assessment, inves ga on, cleanup and parkland acquisi on is provided in A achment 2. A list of publica ons and presenta ons involving the Trenton Brownfields Program and prepared by the Program’s technical professionals is pro‐
vided in A achment 3. Brief descrip ons of selected completed brownfield site redevelopment projects and case studies are provided in A achment 4. In the second mee ng of the series, speakers focused on the State Perspec ve of Brownfields. We welcomed speakers from the Office of Planning Advocacy at the State of New Jersey as well as New Jersey Department of Environmental Protec on. Speakers provided overviews about their specific roles in the world of brownfields as well as par cipated in a facilitated discussion that was focused on how municipali es and local governments can work more closely and coopera vely with State organiza ons. One area of par cular inves ga on in this mee ng was the comprehensive look at the proposed New Jersey State Plan, by Gerard Scharfenberger from the Office of Planning Advocacy. The third mee ng in the series presented the viewpoint of local government, with speakers from the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency, Passaic County, the City of Orange and the City of Trenton. This panel presented crea ve ways in which their respec ve municipali es have navigated funding opportuni es and regula ons in order to successfully meet brownfield redevelopment goals. Following the presenta ons, a facilitated discussion took place which allowed for a brain‐
storming session on what local en es need in order to have successful brownfield programs in their areas. Also discussed was the impact of the State’s LSRP program on municipal brownfield programs; the challenges from which were ini ally iden fied in the BEST Commi ee’s white paper of 2011. Future of Brownfield Speaker Series The BEST Commi ee hosted a speaker series en tled “The Future of Brownfields” over the course of four quarterly mee ngs in 2013. Each mee ng was focused on a specific perspec ve: Federal, State, Local and Private Sector. The speaker series was open to the public, and audience members from across the state joined the BEST Commi ee to discuss the state of municipal brownfields programs, funding programs, success stories and troubleshoo ng a variety of issues that are plaguing New Jersey municipali es and developers. The objec ves of the series were to engage a wider group of stakeholders, gain perspec ves of the trajectory of brownfield programs during a me of significant statewide program changes and na onal economic austerity, Accomplishments The City’s Brownfields Coordinator received a Brownfields Leadership Award “for dedica on to successful brownfields cleanup and community revitaliza on” from the Na onal Associa on of Local Government Professionals (NALGEP) at the na onal brownfields conference in 2013 8 The Public Sector closed the speaker series as the focus of the fourth mee ng. Rather than a panel discussion, this mee ng’s format was a facilitated discussion among funders and devel‐
opers in the greater Trenton area, followed by a networking event. Discussions on the topics of success stories, funding opportuni es, beneficial interagency partnerships, and how to work with the City, dominated the mee ng. Since the par ci‐
pants ranged from the private to public, local to state, this discussion was a frui ul way to make connec ons across these lines to discover ways in which these disparate groups could work towards common goals in a streamlined fashion. Overall the speaker series provided broader exposure for the Trenton brownfields program, and reinforced our belief that brownfields will remain a cri cal cornerstone of urban redevelopment at all levels – federal, state, local and private sector. Crane Site— before Crane Site— after Accomplishments 9 Accomplishments 10 4.0 Measuring Success
The grants leveraged by the Trenton Brownfields Program have funded a variety of components that allow the program to remain viable, par cularly city staff salaries and technical and management consul ng that are vital to the success of the program. It has been more than 16 years since the first full‐
me Trenton Brownfields Coordinator started working in Tren‐
ton, and since this me, maintaining this posi on has had a negligible impact on the city budget due to the extensive fund‐
ing leveraged for this posi on’s salary. The amount of grant funds brought into the program through this posi on, com‐
bined with the cost savings from reducing the need for outside professionals, dwarfs the small cost to the city. Other than grant cost share obliga ons, the Brownfields Program rarely needs any funding from the capital budget, although the City Administra on has provided substan al capital funding for future brownfields projects and emergencies. various phases of assessment, remedia on, and/or development total approximately 160 acres. Measuring the results of the Trenton Brownfields Program is the key to understanding the overall success of the program. It is through such measurements that the program can report back to funders, promote the program to interested par es, and understand the impact of its efforts. Some of the In order to measure the success of the Brownfields Program, Trenton maintains a lis ng of 106 brownfield sites located throughout the city. Of these, more than 50 have been rede‐
veloped. These success stories are located in every city Ward. The breakdown in reuse is as follows: The Fisher brownfield site, also the
location of a historic African-American
cemetery, will undergo cleanup Development of a comprehensive, city‐wide case analysis of the social, environmental, and economic benefits of Trenton’s brownfields development to date will provide a more complete understanding of the overall contribu on of the program. However, the sites redeveloped thus far have con‐
tributed in excess of $2 million in annual tax dollars in 2005, the last year for which this analysis was available, (according to informa on tracked by the Trenton Tax Assessor). brownfields‐related metrics currently tracked by the city include acres assessed and cleaned up and funding leveraged per site. There are addi onal metrics that should ideally be tracked, including tax revenue generated per site, the carbon footprint of a brownfield site redevelopment project, and private developer investment. Trenton Brownfields Program staff will con nue to work toward the development of these key metrics. A variety of sites have been revitalized by the Brownfields Program for a variety of end uses, which are listed in A achment 5. To date, out of the approximately 4,800 acres in Trenton, the Brownfields Program has cleaned up over 165, or about 3.5% of the total city acreage. Addi onal sites under One lesson the Trenton Brownfields Program has learned over the past 20 years is to an cipate the discovery of future brownfield sites. Despite how successful Trenton has been at The current metrics for the Trenton Brownfield Program are indicated in the table below:
Reuse
Number of Sites Redeveloped
Acreage Remediated
and Redeveloped
8
23.5
14 (537 units constructed)
19.8
Industrial
6
48.0
Public Use
13
31.3
Mixed Use
10
34.5
Recreation / Open Space
2
12.7
50 (3 sites were redeveloped
for two separate uses)
169.8
Commercial / Retail
Housing
Total
Measuring Success 12 cleaning up and redeveloping exis ng sites, new brownfield sites are always being iden fied. Future regulatory changes, including changes to soil and groundwater standards, could mean that sites currently considered “clean” will not be con‐
sidered clean in the future. New regula ons that impact the Brownfields Program address public no fica on, vapor intrusion, soil remedia on including presump ve remedies, and other changes to environmental contaminant standards. The Brownfields Program staff is aware of this and monitors the regulatory changes to evaluate and address any impact on Trenton sites. More importantly, the state’s new LSRP program has increased costs, resul ng in an ongoing streamlining of the brownfields program. Measuring Success 13 Measuring Success 14 5.0 Trenton Brownfield Program
Objectives
Financing and Economic Sustainability: Brownfield funding has brought millions of dollars into Trenton, and the Brown‐
field Program’s success has been used to leverage funding for the redevelopment aspects of projects. Redevelopment of brownfield sites can be a catalyst for bringing new jobs and tax revenues into the city. Financing of brownfields involves obtaining funds from various sources to cover the cost of redevelopment, which includes the inves ga on, remedia on, and ul mately development of the property. The sources of funds can come from government programs in the form of low interest loans and grants, tax incen ves and private financing. High caliber developers should be pursued on sites throughout the city, and sites should be widely adver sed to gain the broadest possible audience. Trenton briefly engaged a private lobbying firm with es to both state and federal lawmakers, which resulted in nearly $5 million in federal funds for the dayligh ng of a creek in a downtown brownfield site. The city should consider re‐establishing a rela onship with a lobbying firm to maximize federal grant dollars. Key to the success of this strategy is an open dialogue between staff and lobbyists of funding and project needs. Currently, the city takes advantage of a variety of available financing to redevelop brownfield sites. State Hazardous Discharge Site Remedia on Fund (HDSRF) monies, when available, are used to conduct pre‐remedial assessments of city‐owned proper es, as well as remedia on on qualified sites. USEPA Cleanup and Assessment grants have been widely used throughout the city. The Trenton Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund has been used effec vely to clean up the Warren Balderston site, and that loan was the first in the region to be repaid. These funds have also been put to effec ve use at the Magic Marker and Kramer sites. The USEDA, the NJ Green Acres Program and NJ DEP Watershed grants have all provided significant funding to brownfield projects within Trenton. Economic sustainability goes hand‐in‐hand with financing brownfields revitaliza on. For the Trenton Brownfields Program, sustainability includes three aspects: 
Economic sustainability, both on a site‐level and for the city overall; 
Social sustainability, meaning that the site will fill a community need, and not contribute to dispropor onate impacts on any sector of the popula on; 
Environmental sustainability, resul ng in a cleanup that is protec ve of human health and the environment, and a reuse that is unlikely to generate a new brownfield site in the future. Recommenda ons:  To the extent that matching funds are required for state or federal grants, include a line item in the city budget for the Brownfields Program, when needed.  Conduct rou ne auc ons of city‐owned brown‐
field sites and partner with real estate brokers to successfully transfer city‐owned proper es to private ownership, thereby increasing city revenue and reducing long‐term liabili es.  Increase Trenton’s tax base by redeveloping abandoned, idled, or underu lized proper es and ensuring a balance of redevelopment reus‐
es.  Con nue to use the Brownfields Cleanup Re‐
volving Loan Fund that was awarded by the EPA to clean up city‐owned sites that require addi‐
onal levels of funding. Repay outstanding obliga ons to the EPA Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund. Vince Pitruzzello, former Chief of the Program Support Branch within EPA Region 2’s
Emergency and Remedial Response Division, stated, “EPA has a long history of sup-
porting the Trenton Brownfields Program, dating back to one of EPA’s first brownfields grants in the mid-1990s. Trenton has proven itself to be a leader in successful
brownfield revitalization projects, and it is for this reason that EPA has invested millions of dollars in brownfields grant funding there.” Trenton has an outstanding track record in a rac ng outside funding (more than $40 million received in grant funds since the program’s incep on) to its Brownfields Program, as evidenced by its list of Accomplishments presented A achments 2 and 3.  Be an advocate for the use and expansion of  Seek out opportuni es to a ract private funding into Trenton for brownfield redevelop‐
ment and site restora on. Partner with private Trenton Brownfield Program Objec ves state HDSRF refunding and for the expansion of other state brownfield programs.  Be an advocate for the use and expansion of federal brownfields funding sources. 16 developers to assist in u lizing state and city financial incen ves. 
Federal agencies: Federal agencies have pro‐
vided funding and technical assistance that not only allowed for the establishment of the Trenton Brownfields Program but that also sustained the program for more than 16 years. The EPA in par cular has provided millions of dollars in grants and loan programs that have helped to inves gate and cleanup dozens of brownfield sites throughout Trenton. The US Economic Development Administra on has also provided extensive grant funding for the Enterprise Avenue Industrial Park project and the Assunpink Creek Greenway Project. Other Federal agencies, such as HUD and DOT, are also available to provide support individual‐
ly and through collabora ve efforts with USEPA. 
Private interests: Without the support of private developers, many brownfield sites would not be successfully revitalized.  Tap into other poten al sources of funding, such as Congressional earmarks, Department of Transporta on grants, and private founda ons u lizing the assistance of a paid lobbying firm, where beneficial. Partnerships & Outreach: Strong partnerships make success‐
ful brownfield projects possible, and bring funds to city projects. Partnerships provide vital reciprocal rela onships whereby organiza ons and agencies support the Trenton Brownfields Program and vice versa. Focusing on common goals make it more likely that projects will succeed, to everyone’s benefit. Notable partners of the Brownfields Program include: 


Community and non‐profit organiza ons: The ac ve involvement of community and non‐profit organiza ons has impacted redevel‐
opment decisions throughout Trenton. The City’s Department of Housing and Economic Development conveys informa on to the community by a ending mee ngs and providing an explana on of technical aspects and current status of the projects. These have included working closely with NJ Future, the Train Sta on Steering Commi ee, East Trenton Collabora ve, Cityworks, Habitat for Humanity, Green Team, Isles, and D&R Greenway Trust. The city will con nue to ac vely reach out to community groups and to respond to their requests and their needs. The City of Trenton worked with NJ Future to help the secure a
grant that would fund proactive community outreach around
several key projects, including daylighting of a culvert in a
brownfield site, rehabilitation of the Broad Street Bridge, and
rehabilitation of the Mill Hill Park. Brownfields developers have a willing partner in the City of Trenton, and the Department of Housing and Economic Development in par cular goes to great lengths to coordinate with developers on brownfields projects. In addi on, real estate brokers have served as a valuable conduit between the city and par es interested in purchasing city‐owned proper es. Mercer County: Mercer County, and in par cular the Planning Division, has provided invaluable technical assistance in the form of Geographic Informa on Systems (GIS). The County’s Open Space Preserva on Trust Fund has also proved invaluable to many park projects in Trenton. We are currently partner‐
ing with the County and local non‐profit organiza ons to establish an urban farm on a local brownfields site. Recommenda ons: State agencies: The NJDEP has been a primary supporter of the Brownfields Program since its incep on. Through HDSRF funding, Green Acres funding, and Sec on 319 Watershed funding, DEP has been a con nued source of support for the Trenton program. Years of strong partnerships with the city’s dedicated case manager has helped the city to work through a difficult transi on period as the State converts to a private sector based site remedia on program, the licensed site remedia on professional (LSRP). We will con nue to strengthen and maintain rela on‐
ships with the NJDEP to overcome recent chal‐
lenges at the state and local level. Trenton Brownfield Program Objec ves 
The city should con nue to successfully lever‐
age partnerships on the local, regional, state, federal and private levels. The city should especially work to establish more rela onships with par es who have an interest in the economic development of Trenton, including business leaders and professionals, financiers and real estate professionals. 
The city should hold periodic mee ngs with leaders of the various community groups to disseminate informa on on all of the city’s environmental ac vi es and to discuss related redevelopment plans, where applicable. 
Community involvement and educa on should be proac ve and started as soon as prac cal in the redevelopment process. 17 Site Iden fica on and Brownfields Inventory: A comprehensive inventory will serve as a marke ng and planning tool to promote revitaliza on and to a ract redevelopment that will bring jobs and taxes into the city. Developing priori es regarding which brownfield sites to address is cri cal to maintaining a momentum of success in brownfields redevelopment. Trenton lacks large sites which typically a ract larger developers and ironically, is hampered by both the number of surface parking lots in the city and the lack of adequate public parking. The development of a searchable database which will assist both Trenton and perspec ve developers in iden fying appropriate sites will help to facilitate priori za on and development. Priori es and desired reuses should be established based on both the market for development and the redevelopment vision for the neighborhood. Recommenda ons:  Maintain current brownfields inventory to pro‐
vide con nued program metrics, and to meet brownfields program criteria of the Sustainable Jersey” program requirements;  Establish and maintain a comprehensive, city‐
wide industrial sites database, based on a thorough site inventory, which includes all brownfield sites. Link this database to a GIS mapping tool, make it searchable by a ributes to serve as a marke ng tool as well as a mechanism for priori zing economic development efforts and responding to developer inquires, and make it publically available. Brownfield Leadership: Trenton is acknowledged as a na onal leader in brownfields, resul ng in funding opportuni es and developer interest. Trenton received one of the EPA’s first Assessment Demonstra on Pilot grants in 1995. Since that me, the city has established itself as a leader in this field. Strong local leadership has contributed to the overall sustainability of the program and have also brought a en on to the program on a na onal level. The Brownfields Program maintains an environmental
hotline (609-989-3537) to provide information to residents
and other stakeholders, in part to meet the NJDEP’s Public
Notification requirements The hotline number is displayed
on signs at brownfields sites throughout the city. The city’s list of accomplishments speaks to the approach and effort put forth by the specialized professionals who staff the city’s Brownfields Program. Trenton’s brownfield profession‐
als have been highly ac ve in par cipa ng in local, state, and na onal forums and mee ngs, and are a respected force within the brownfields community. This includes presenta ons throughout this country and abroad, and commitments to such professional groups as the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council, the US German Bilateral Working Group, the Na onal Associa on of Local Government Environmental Professionals and the Na onal Brownfields Associa on. Their recogni on by others as leaders in the field reflects posi vely on the Trenton Brownfields Program and brings the city opportuni es for funding and program assistance from mul ple sources in state and na onal agencies. A strong effort to market brownfield sites is also dependent on the city maintaining an accurate, up‐to‐date inventory of brownfield proper es, both public and private, as a subset of an inventory which includes all available industrial proper es. Such an inventory provides for a lis ng and a tracking mechanism for all industrial sites, those that are highly marketable and those that are not. The city currently maintains a database of brownfield sites on Microso Excel. This database should be strengthened so that it serves as a tool to market brownfield sites, track the progress of sites currently under remedia on or redevelopment, and to document the comple on and status of sites that have been restored and redeveloped. In order to be compe ve in funding applica ons, Trenton must have a func onal database linked with a GIS system. Efforts to e a Microso Access property database into both the GIS system and the Tax Assessor’s database were a strong beginning to an important marke ng tool, but the downsizing of the planning department staff with GIS exper se put this project on hold. This effort should be reinvigorated. The use of interns to assist with research and upda ng the inventory and GIS maps are excellent ways to increase the number of sites covered. The comple on of an inventory of former service sta ons throughout the city is an important step in these ubiquitous sites. These efforts are a good start toward a comprehensive, city‐wide industrial sites inventory, but the city should take the next step toward the crea on of a cohesive, user‐friendly database. Trenton Brownfield Program Objec ves Landscape improvements at the Enterprise Avenue Industrial Park brownfield site 18 ences, including poten al residents, poten al businesses, and visitors. Second, the Brownfields Program overall should be marketed and promoted to a variety of audiences. Finally, individual brownfield sites must be marketed to target groups as needed. Brownfields marke ng must be conducted by the city to a ract purchasers to redevelop Trenton’s abandoned, idled, or underu lized proper es where redevelopment is complicated by the perceived or confirmed existence of contamina on. While the city’s current marke ng efforts involve the Division of Economic Development establishing and maintaining rela onships with developers, consultants, and realtors who ac vely sell industrial/commercial proper es within the city, the BEST Advisory Council’s recommenda ons are made with the intent that a serious effort is made to enhance Trenton’s marke ng of itself as a place to live, a place to work, and a place to grow. Recommenda ons: 
Brownfields Program staff will engage all future incoming mayors and administra ons to ensure awareness of the program’s successes to date and the benefit of the program to the city’s revitaliza on efforts. 
Professionals in Trenton’s Brownfields Program office should con nue their capacity building efforts through par cipa on with EPA‐ and NJDEP‐sponsored ac vi es as well as other brownfields forums. 
Trenton should con nue to seek opportuni es for its Brownfields Program staff to make presenta ons and prepare papers for profes‐
sional and trade mee ngs, par cularly focusing on real estate and economic development. 
Thought should also be given to the develop‐
ment of a separate environmental division which would house the Brownfields Program and would conduct all environmental work for the city, including work currently disbursed across the city in Public Works, Recrea on, Natural Resources and Culture, and Inspec on departments. This would result in efficiencies and cost savings for the city. Recommenda ons: 
To promote the city as a whole, Trenton should ini ate a major marke ng campaign that highlights the city’s many assets, including its walkability, historic housing, heritage tourism and the arts. This campaign should include a notable slogan that differen ates the Greater Trenton Area from other metropolitan areas. 
Trenton should ini ate conversa ons with poten al county, state, and federal agencies that would fund a large‐scale and sustained local and regional marke ng campaign. 
The City of Trenton should publicize, within its own ranks and throughout the city, the many accomplishments of its Brownfields Program, including the contribu ons to the redevelopment of numerous sites, our role as a na onal leader in municipal brownfields redevelopment, and a contributor to state and na onal brownfields policies. 
The Department of Housing and Economic Development should ac vely market individual brownfield sites and should include brownfield sites in city‐owned property auc ons. Standardized fact sheets should be developed for each brownfield property owned by the city, and should be posted on the website. 
The Trenton Brownfields Program should improve and enlarge its current webpage, which should be part of the city‘s website. This webpage should include informa on on sites available for purchase, success stories regard‐
ing previous brownfields accomplishments, and links to related resources. 
U lize other exis ng databases, such as the State’s “Choose New Jersey” and “Site Mart” programs for brownfields property marke ng. The Scarpa brownfield site, a former scrap metal recycling facility, will undergo cleanup Brownfields Marke ng: A strong marke ng component can build on the availability of brownfield sites for redevelop‐
ment while promo ng the Greater Trenton Area overall. While the BEST Advisory Council con nues to recognize the accomplishments and successes of the Trenton Brownfields Program, marke ng efforts are required to educate interested par es. Marke ng in Trenton must occur at various levels. First, there is an ongoing need to market the city as a whole to many audi‐
Trenton Brownfield Program Objec ves 19 Area‐wide Brownfield Programs: Brownfield redevelopment should be a key component to though ul revitaliza on and can support good planning efforts. A shotgun, opportunis c approach to brownfields redevelopment can be effec ve in adding to the tax base and improving individual sites. However, the impact of brownfields redevelopment can be mul plied if a concerted effort is made to address mul ple sites in a priority neighborhood. NJ DEP has recognized the value of this approach through the establishment of the Brownfield Development Area (BDA) program. Trenton has had two priority neighborhoods designated as BDAs, the Magic Marker BDA and the Assunpink Greenway BDA, making these sites eligible for addi onal state funds. amendment that asserted the rights of a municipality as protected under the Spill Act as a non‐responsible party, and exempted such par es from the mandatory compliance meframes. In addi on, DEP allowed for non responsible par es to declare inac ve status during the remedia on period, if no ac ve remedia on was occurring, to exempt such par es from annual fee requirements. However, problems with the program con nue to plague the Trenton brownfields program, including difficul es with Recommenda ons:  Focus on the redevelopment of the waterfront as a means of revitalizing the urban areas, a technique recognized and promoted by the Urban Land Ins tute.  Build upon the train sta on renova on to spur development in the neighborhood surround‐
ing the sta on. The former gas sta on at 678 North Clinton Avenue was the first city brown‐
fields site to receive an RAO thanks to a USEPA Cleanup Grant  Con nue the focus on the downtown and the Canal Banks area.  Conduct a demand survey to determine what the market will support and what the community needs. complying with the intent of the LSRP requirements while adhering to State procurement requirements; the lack of a mediator to determine disagreements between the city and the LSRP over technical issues; increased oversight by EPA for grant funded projects, which delays these projects and results in addi onal work to comply with federal QAQC require‐
ments; concern when projects reach a new stage and have to be re‐bid, that a new LSRP may decide they cannot rely on work done by a prior LSRP, thus crea ng addi onal work, expense, and delay; and high fees that are charged regularly on proper es that have no source of revenue.  Work toward the extension of the light rail into the downtown area to s mulate spinoff development and reduce the need for parking.  Encourage the reuse of surface parking lots as mixed‐use development with structured parking.  Iden fy and priori ze specific problem sites which cause neighborhoods. blight in Trenton’s Recommenda ons:  Iden fy the highest and best use of proper es, and advocate for smart growth and green buildings. These should be incorpo‐
rated into the design guidelines of each redevelopment area. Regulatory Ma ers: As a leader in local municipal brownfields, Trenton has taken an ac ve role in advoca ng for municipali es as the State of New Jersey has transi oned to a licensed site remedial profes‐
sional (LSRP) program under the Site Remedia on Reform Act (SRRA). This program removes the Voluntary Cleanup Program around which Trenton’s brownfield program was founded, and replaces it with a private‐sector led compliance program with mandatory meframes for comple ng cleanups. In 2010 BEST presented a White Paper to the NJ DEP, detailing our concerns with the chilling effect we predicted this pro‐
gram would have on municipal brownfield programs. As a result of this work, DEP inserted clarifica on language into an Trenton Brownfield Program Objec ves 
Con nue to advocate for changes to the program to benefit municipal programs, to include the addi on of a mediator at DEP and waiving of fees in certain instances. 
Con nue to nurture a group of like‐minded municipali es to form a commi ee to press for change in the program. 
Con nue to follow regulatory changes and evaluate the impacts these have on Trenton brownfields program, and serve as a voice for change. 20 6.0 Five-Year Outlook
In light of a new incoming administra on in Trenton, the following is the vision of the BEST Advisory Council and for the Trenton Brownfields Program for the next five years: 
Con nued role as a catalyst for Brownfields redevelopment. 
Con nued role as a champion for innova ve solu ons. 
Con nued role as a forum for mul ‐stakeholder views. 
Con nued role as a voice for the municipal perspec ve of regulatory oversight. 
Con nued support of the program by the State of New Jersey. 
Con nued high‐level commitment to Trenton's brownfield goals by the Mayor and City Council. 
Sustained financial support from various sources, including from federal and state agencies and from a line item for the program in the city’s annual budget. 
Con nued ac ve involvement of community leaders and neighborhood residents. 
Expanded partnerships among stakeholders in the public and private sectors. 
Con nued staffing of the Brownfields Coordinator supported by consultants. 
Con nued leveraging of federal and state brownfield ini a ves for restora on projects. 
Developing a balanced por olio of commercial, industrial, and residen al brownfield redevelopment projects. Five‐Year Outlook 22 7.0 Conclusion
The City of Trenton is a leader in municipal brownfields revitaliza on. With con nued support of the City’s leadership, the Trenton Brownfields Program will con nue to support the City of Trenton’s redevelopment goals. To con nue to receive the support that it needs, the Brownfields Program will con nue to demonstrate leadership, provide integrated technical and project management, achieve and measure success, and meet its short‐term to long‐term programma c goals. This Brownfields Program Ac on Plan has highlighted the accomplishments of the program to date and has provided recommenda ons from the BEST Advisory Council that will encourage the program to con nue to grow and prosper in the future. Conclusion 24 Attachments
A achment 1 Trenton Brownfields Program Key Milestones 1995 Ini al EPA Brownfield Assessment Demonstra on Pilot Grant 1997 Ini al Brownfield Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund (BCRLF) grant award from EPA 1998 Trenton hires the first full‐ me Brownfields Coordinator 1998 EPA Brownfield Showcase Award Designa on 1999 Supplemental BCRLF Grant (increasing to $1M) 1999 Assignment of a full‐ me EPA/Trenton Brownfields Coordinator under Intergovernmental Personnel Act 1999 Phoenix Award: Waterfront Park 2000 Supplemental BCRLF Grant 2000 EPA Brownfield Assessment Supplemental Award 2001 UST Field Demonstra ons Pilot, EPA 2001 ICMA Best Prac ces Selec on 2001 NJDEP Environmental Excellence Award 2001 Phoenix Community Impact Award: Crane Site 2002 Roebling redevelopment selected to be part of Fit Ci es Exhibit at the Winter Olympics 2002 Phoenix Award: Marrio hotel redevelopment project 2002 NJDEP Brownfield Development Area pilot 2003 Magic Marker one of first state‐designated Brownfield Development Areas in New Jersey 2003 Regional Planning Partnership Award 2003 EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant 2003 EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grants: Magic Marker, Fischer, and Freightyards sites 2003 Designa on of Magic Marker neighborhood as a Na onal Environmental Jus ce Community 2004 Phoenix Community Impact Award for Ba le Monument Area 2004 EPA Cleanup Grant for Oxford Street Site 2004 Repayment of Warren Balderston Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund loan 2005 EPA Cleanup Grants for the Pukala and Canal Plaza sites 2006 EPA Cleanup Grant for the Thropp site 2006 Received grant funds to complete remedia on at Magic Marker site 2007 Award of addi onal $1 million for EPA BCRLF (total award: $2M) 2007 Completed cleanup at the Magic Marker site and received No Further Ac on Le er 2007 Received funding for the restora on of the drainage swale at Magic Marker 2007 Received funding for the cleanup at Crescent Wire 2008 Received funding for addi onal Assessment of gas sta on sites 2008 Began construc on of 22 residences at Canal Plaza site (completed 2009) 2009 Began construc on of Catherine S. Graham project of 42 residences at Magic Marker site (completed 2010) 2009 Phoenix Award: Hutchinson Worldwide (three sites, including Aratex, Lewis Brothers Ceramics, and Mercer Bus Garage) 2010 EPA Grant Cleanup Grants for the Greg Grant Park, Storcella, and 678 North Clinton Avenue sites 2011 EPA Cleanup Grants for Clinton Commerce Center and Pa ern Machine and Foundary 2011 EPA Assessment Grants for Hazardous Substances, Petroleum, and Federated Metals 2011 Phoenix Award: Magic Marker site 2012 EPA Cleanup Grant for Scarpa 2013 Brownfields Coordinator received a Brownfields Leadership Award from NALGEP in 2013 A achment 2 Funds Leveraged by the Trenton Brownfields Program EPA Assessment Demonstra on Pilot 1995 $ 200,000 EPA Showcase Pilot 1998 $ 300,000 EPA Assessment Supplemental 2000 $ 300,000 IPA Supplemental 2002 $ 120,000 EPA Cleanup Grants 2003 $ 600,000 EPA Cleanup Grant 2004 $ 200,000 EPA Assessment Grant 2003 $ 400,000 EPA Cleanup Grants 2005 $ 400,000 EPA Cleanup Grant 2006 $ 200,000 EPA Petroleum Assessment Grant 2007 $ 200,000 EPA Cleanup Grants 2010 $ 500,000 EPA Cleanup Grants 2011 $ 400,000 EPA Assessment Grants 2011 $ 600,000 EPA Cleanup Grant 2012 $ 200,000 EPA Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund 1998, 1999 $ 1,000,000 EPA Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund 2007 $ 1,000,000 EPA UST Fields Grant $ 100,000 EPA Smart Growth Brownfields Grant $ 45,000 US EDA Flood Study $ 40,000 US EDA Construc on Grant $ 6,093,115 US EDA Planning Grants $ 159,154 NJ HDSRF Grants $ 8,165,442 NJ Redevelopment Authority $ 289,000 NJDEP Non‐Point Source Grants Pe y’s Run $ 1,473,563 NJDEP Green Acres Acquisi on Grants $ 3,000,000 NJDEP Green Acres Redevelopment Grants $ 8,500,000 NJDEP Non‐Point Source Grants Lower Assunpink $ 1,000,000 US Army Corps of Engineers $ 4,850,000 Total Grant Funds $ 40,335,274 A achment 3 Selected Publica ons and Presenta ons Regarding the Trenton Brownfields Program The Trenton Brownfields Program is a model of successful brownfield programs locally, na onally, and interna onally. A sample of the presenta ons which have highlighted Trenton’s brownfield program are listed below: Technical Papers/Magazine Ar cles Capasso, J. featured in: Regional Report – Tristates: people, by Steve Dwyer; Brownfields Renewal Magazine, v. 14, issue 3; June‐
July 2010. Capasso, J. and Opper, R., Applica on of the U.S. Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitaliza on Tools ‐ electronic Re‐
source (SMARTe), Cabernet – The Interna onal Conference on Managing Urban Land, Belfast, UK, April 13‐15, 2005 Librizzi, William, and James Mack and Leah Yasenchak, “An Innova ve Approach to the Characteriza on of Brownfields Proper es.” ECOSUD Conference Proceedings. (To be published, June, 2003). Pressing for Change: The Ongoing Impact of Brownfields Remedia on in Trenton, NJ League of Municipali es Magazine, April 2001 Smith, Terri and Yasenchak, Leah. “USTFields – An Innova ve Approach to Reuse.” Brownfields News. Vol 6, No 4. Chicago: (July/
August, 2002) p.18. Trenton’s Brownfields Program – A Key Component of Trenton’s Revitaliza on Strategy, Mercer Business Magazine, September 2005 Yasenchak, Leah Benedict. "What We Know about the Ubiquitous Brownfield: A Case Study of Two New Jersey Ci es and Their Gas Sta ons." Environmental Prac ce 11(3) September, 2009. Yasenchak, Leah and Michele Chris na. “Grants: One Piece of the Puzzle.” Brownfield News, Volume 9, Issue 1, February, 2005. Yasenchak, Leah and Renee P. Killian. “Trenton: Making a Capital Comeback.” The Trenton Times, Downtowner March 2002, pp. 10+. Yasenchak, Leah and Renee P. Killian. “Trenton Stages a Capital Comeback.” New Jersey Municipali es. Vol 79, No 3, March, 2002. Publica ons – Contributors/Authors Petroleum Vapor Intrusion (web‐based technical document), Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) Petroelum Vapor Intrusion Team, (in dra ; 2014) Development of Performance Specifica ons for Solidifica on/Stabiliza on, Technical Document ITRC Solidifica on Stabiliza on Team, July 2011 An Overview of Land Use Control Management Systems, Technology Overview, ITRC, ITRC Brownfields Team, December 2008 “Brownfields / Community Redevelopment, Trenton NJ.” Best Prac ces. ICMA University: Newport RI, April 26‐28, 2001. Na onal Associa on of Local Government Environmental Professionals (NALGEP)., Lessons Learned from NALGEP’s Brownfield Grants Task Force., May 2008. Property Revitaliza on – Lessons Learned from BRAC and Brownfields, Technology Overview, ITRC Brownfields Team, January 2006 Unlocking Brownfields – Keys to Community Revitaliza on, Na onal Associa on of Local Government Environmental Professionals (NALGEP)/Northeast‐Midwest Ins tute, 2004 Vapor Intrusion Issues at Brownfield Sites, Background Document, ITRC Brownfields Team, December 2003 Recycling America’s Gas Sta ons – The Value and Promise of Revitalizing Petroleum Contaminated Proper es, Northeast‐Midwest Ins tute/NALGEP, 2002 Presenta ons Transforming Contaminated Proper es into new Produc ve Uses and the Future of Brownfields Development; Keynote Address at NJIT Brownfields Conference (October 11, 2011); Funding and Financing the Redevelopment of the Brownfields: Finding Resources in these Challenging Economic Times. SRRA: Impact on Municipal Brownfields Programs at Brownfields: Emerging Issues in Redevelopment; Rutgers University, New Brunswick. October 4, 2011. Magic Marker site, 2011 Phoenix Award (Region 2), Brownfields 2011, Philadelphia, April 2011 Regenera ve Design Conference, “Redevelopment on Brownfields.” Morrisville, NJ, June 18, 2010 Brownfields – Measuring Success, Brownfields 2010, New Orleans, November 2009 Hutchinson Industries, 2008 Phoenix Award (Region 2), Brownfields 2010, New Orleans, November 2009 Hutchinson Industries, Trenton Small Business Week, October 2009 How Community and Local Government work with State and Federal Partners in Brownfields Redevelopment, Magic Marker Case Study, Camden Empowerment Zone Brownfields Forum, Camden, NJ, June 2009 How Community and Local Government work with State and Federal Partners in Brownfields Redevelopment ‐ Magic Marker Case Study, April 2009 2009 Na onal Planning Conference “Restoring Open Space in Urban Se ngs: A Case Study of the Crea on of the Assunpink Creek Greenway, Trenton, NJ” April 26, 2009 Minneapolis, MN Brownfields 2009, “Crea on of the Assunpink Creek Greenway in Trenton, NJ” November 18, 2009, New Orleans, LA "Restoring Open Space in Urban Se ngs: A Case Study of the Crea on of the Assunpink Creek Greenway, Trenton, NJ” April 23, 2009 Environmental Jus ce in New Jersey Symposium "A Case Study of the Crea on of the Assunpink Creek Greenway, Trenton, NJ" TCNJ, March 17, 2009 Land Trust Rally, “A Case Study of the Crea on of the Assunpink Creek Greenway in Trenton, NJ" New Brunswick, NJ, March 7, 2009 Trenton’s Brownfield Program, Leadership Trenton, January 2009 Brownfields – Local Government Role, NJ Department of Community Affairs, November 2008 Trenton’s Brownfield Successes ‐ Presenta on to the Brownfield Environmental Solu ons for Trenton (BEST) Advisory Commi ee, October 15, 2008 Trenton’s Brownfields Development Areas, NJDEP Municipal Roundtable Session, Camden, NJ, September 9, 2008 Land Use Controls and Long‐Term Stewardship – Municipal Experience, Brownfields 2008, Detroit, May 5, 2008 Brownfields – Local Government Role, Leadership Trenton, January 2008 Brownfields – Local Government Role, December 2007 Leadership Trenton, January 2007 Building Strong Neighborhoods: Brownfields Redevelopment in Undercapitalized Communi es conference, “ Who can help? Working with the Private Sector” Trenton NJ, December 10, 2007 How to Work with Consultants, NJDEP, June 2006 Environmental Requirements for Business, Trenton Small Business Week, Trenton, NJ 2005 Applica on of the U.S. SMARTe Resource ‐ Preliminary Beta Test, Cabernet 2005, Belfast, UK, April 2005 User‐Specific Tools for Sustainable Brownfield Development Projects in USA providing informa on on Planning, Funding and Com‐
munica on (SMARTe = Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitaliza on Tools), US‐German Bilateral Working Group. Berlin, Germany, April 19, 2005 Case Study: Sustainable Development Obstacles and Solu ons, Magic Marker Site ‐ Trenton, New Jersey, US‐German Bilateral Working Group Mee ng, Washington, D.C., December 2004 The City of Trenton’s Brownfields Program and the Ba le Monument Area‐Wide Brownfields Redevelopment, 2004 Phoenix Award (Community Impact), Mid‐Atlan c Sustainability Conference 2004 Inventory of Gas Sta ons in Urban Areas, Brownfields 2004 ‐ St. Louis, Missouri Ba le Monument Area‐Wide Brownfields Redevelopment, 2004 Phoenix Award (Community Impact), Brownfields 2004, St. Louis, MO Trenton’s Brownfields Program, New Jersey Brownfields Task Force ‐ February 2004 Data Day "Trenton Brownfield Inventories" Perth Amboy, NJ, June 22, 2004 Ci zen Par cipa on and Empowerment, US‐German Bilateral Working Group, Leipzig, Germany, June, 2004 Examples of Interim Use in Trenton, New Jersey, US‐German Bilateral Working Group, Leipzig, Germany, June 2004 How Community and Local Government Work with NJDEP: Magic Marker Case Study, NJDEP, Trenton, NJ, July 27, 2004 Mid‐Atlan c Sustainability Conference "Trenton Brownfields" September 30, 2004 Reusing Gas Sta ons, Brownfields 2003, Portland, Oregon Life A er the Grant: A Trenton Case Study, November 2003 Trenton’s Approach to Brownfields Redevelopment, Leadership Trenton, 2003 Trenton’s Approach to Brownfields Redevelopment, DVRPC: Building from Strength, Strategies for Older Suburbs and Boroughs, April 30, 2002 “Trenton's Approach to Brownfields Redevelopment” Brownfields 2002 Conference, May 16, 2002 US German bilateral group "Assunpink Greenway Case Study" May 15, 2002 Trenton case study and exhibit presenta on at Deal Flow conference, June 6, 2002 ITRC US/German Bilateral Working Group, “Trenton's Approach to Brownfields Redevelopment” November 12, 2002 2001 FitCi es Exhibit at the Salt Lake City Olympics on Trenton Brownfields ICMA Best Prac ces University; “Trenton Brownfields Program” April 2001 Providence, RI Reusing Brownfields for Housing – A New Fron er, Brownfields 2000, Atlan c City, NJ Presenta on on Roebling redevelopment at The 5th Interna onal Symposium on Environmental Contamina on and Remedia on in Central and Eastern Europe; Prague September 12, 2000 A achment 4 Selected Brownfield Redevelopment Projects in Trenton Assunpink Creek Greenway Project: This major project will convert mul ple brownfield sites into a 99‐acre park and greenway in the floodway of the Assunpink Creek. This effort will remove the flood hazard in the area, and provide a recrea onal amenity and alterna ve transporta on link to commu‐
nity residents. Clinton Commerce Center, Storcella, and Scarpa Sites—before Champale Site: This former brewery and bo ling facility is one of Trenton’s first four brownfield sites iden fied for inves ga on and redevelopment. The site has been subject to significant demoli on and USEPA removal ac ons in addi on to several soil and groundwater inves ga ons and UST closures. The City of Trenton has received a no further ac on le er on this site, and construc on of market rate units of housing began in 2009. Champale site – during Champale site – a er Magic Marker Redevelopment Area: The cornerstone of this neighborhood is a 7‐acre brownfield site whose redevelopment is the galvanizing point of the neighborhood. This community‐driven effort has resulted in the remedia on of a 4.4‐acre por on of the site for housing, funding for the installa on of new public streets, and funding for the restora on of the stream on the remaining three acres. In 2009, the construc on of 42 market‐rate townhomes began. Construc on was completed by 2010‐2011. The Magic Marker site has been the subject of combined mul ‐stakeholder efforts to redevelop this site since the late 1980s. For some, the struggle began as far back as the early 1950s, when those migra ng from the south were largely segregated into specific neighborhoods as was the case around Na onal Ba ery, a 7‐acre lead‐acid ba ery manufacturing plant. Community efforts to revitalize the site began soon a er the Magic Marker plant shut down in 1989: Isles, Inc., a local non‐profit organiza on concerned about community health, worked with the local community to call a en on to the blight, inherent dangers and poten al health threats. The partnership between Isles and local concerned ci zens, and their subsequent outreach efforts, drew the a en on of the local, state and federal governments. In 1992, the NJDEP conducted the first inves ga on, iden fying lead and many other contaminants in soil, surface water, groundwater and sediments. The Northwest Community Improvement Associa on was formed in 1995 and mobilized addi onal residents in the local area, conduc ng monthly mee ngs to address issues and monitor progress. The resul ng community, local government, state and federal governmental partnership formed by this me maintained significant momentum, raised awareness and conducted community outreach programs with the goal of educa ng and empowering the community. The City of Trenton foreclosed on the site in 1997, for site control and to ul mately allow for significant state and federal resources to be accessed for assess‐
ment, inves ga on and remedia on. The City engaged with community to plan for the future development of the site, re‐
sul ng in a community‐based plan for redevelopment for residen al and open space. The site gained a na onal reputa on. From 2002 to 2008, the City of Trenton managed the remedia on of the site, especially since a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing relieved Exide, the last viable responsible party (RP), of its liability. In 2003, the neighborhood was designated as a USEPA Environmental Jus ce Community, and also designated as one of the first Brownfields Development Areas by the NJDEP. Over a 15‐month period star ng in late 2004, three phases of soil excava on and disposal removed 18,000 tons of contaminated soil, mostly as hazardous waste due to soluble lead impact. The NJDEP issued a No Further Ac on le er allow‐
ing for unrestricted use of the site in 2007. A total of $3.1 million was spent on remedia on of the por on of the site desig‐
nated for residen al development. Over $3.6 million was spent in total, including prior demoli on events, assessments and inves ga ons. In addi on to Magic Marker, a total of 8,213 tons of contaminated soil and sediment were excavated and disposed from the swale and adjacent floodway as part of the adjacent stream restora on project. Magic Marker Site – a er Magic Marker Site – before There were many challenges associated with this site: land acquisi on; redevelopment planning; remedia on funding; regula‐
tory compliance; and construc on issues. The greatest challenge was accumula ng sufficient remedia on funding. Funding from numerous sources were used for this project: two USEPA BCRLF loans ($575,000); USEPA Cleanup grant ($200,000); three New Jersey HDSRF grants (>$222,000); a NJ HDSRF Cleanup Grant ($2,522,651); capital funds (>$400,000) and 319H grant funds ($1,370,000). Designa on of the site as a “Brownfields Development Area” by the State of New Jersey allowed for the final grant of over $2.5 million for hazardous soil disposal. This project ul mately resulted in the construc on of 42 new mixed‐income residences on 4.4 acres of land mee ng stringent state residen al soil cleanup criteria (Catherine S. Graham Square). Approximately 2 acres of clean, revegetated open space and floodway was created that will reduce local flooding by increasing the holding capacity of a new, well‐designed Pe y’s Run. Total project costs for construc on ($11.52M), remedia on ($3.65M) and stream restora on ($1.37M) totaled $16,540,000. The economic development created by the project is further enhanced by new tax ratables for the 44 new hous‐
es. The site won the USEPA Region 2 Phoenix Award in 2011. As part of this long process, we recognized the value of partnerships, and how the mo va on of local residents in a low‐income neighborhood can generate momentum that can accomplish great things. The events that led to the cleanup and redevelopment of this site provide an excellent case study in pa ence and perseverance. The partnership between community and local, state and federal government agencies made a las ng and posi ve difference. Monument Crossing – before Monument Crossing – a er Warren Balderston – before Warren Balderston – a er Ba le Monument Area: This important monument to the historic Revolu onary War ba le that occurred in Trenton also marked the epicenter of Trenton’s Civil Rights riots in the 1960s. This blighted area has been transformed from abandoned brownfields into a new park and new affordable housing, showcasing the historic monument and canal of the neighborhood. Housing projects here include Monument Crossing I and II, Canal Plaza, and North Willow Green (the former Warren Balderston site). Winner of the pres gious Phoenix Award for Community Impact in 2004 for the assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of six sites, included the aforemen oned housing redevelopments, a pocket park, and the Addic on Science Center. Final work in the area includes the redevelopment of the Trenton Early Childhood Development Center. Hutchinson Sites: Hutchinson Worldwide manufactures automo ve res that maintain the ability to func on a er sustaining significant damage. This company has made a commitment to stay in Trenton despite the lack of large industrial tracts of land in the city. Hutchinson currently operates at seven dis nct loca ons in the city, three sites of which were former brownfield sites, and employs more than 400 people. The concept of highly produc ve industrial uses at various sites by a single user was unprecedent‐
ed prior to Hutchinson, and the city hopes to replicate this model with other companies in the future. In 2009, Trenton won a Phoenix Award for excellence in brownfield site redevelopment specifically for three sites on which Hutchinson now operates. Former Aratex site – before Former Aratex site – a er (currently one of the Hutchinson Sites) Canal Plaza: This nearly two‐acre site was developed in approximately 1918 as a commercial dairy and remained in opera on un l 1976. Cleanup included the removal of four underground storage tanks, and five areas of soil contamina on were delineated. The site was been divided into two parcels for the purposes of remedia on and redevelop‐
ment. Redevelopment of the Canal Plaza site included construc on of 22 townhomes and an adjacent park in 2008. Construc on was completed in 2010. Canal Plaza—during construc on Former Thropp Site Before Former Thropp Site A er—Current Greg Grant Park Greg Grant Park/East State Street Homes: The Greg Grant Park and East State Street Homes sites have been the subject of redevelopment efforts among many stakeholders and community members for years. Historic site opera ons at the former Thropp Brothers Machine Shop dated prior to 1890. The site was abandoned and the city foreclosed on it in 1988. The site lies in a par cularly distressed area in Trenton, next to an elementary school and directly across the street from vacant homes and a small city park that was par ally obscured by the abandoned homes and a magnet for criminal ac vi es. By working with the East Trenton Collabora ve, the City of Trenton formed a valuable partnership with Mar n House‐BCTC; City‐
Works; Isles Inc.; Habitat for Humanity – Trenton Area; and HomeFront, non‐profit organiza ons that work closely with the community. Together the city and the non profits were able to jointly redevelop the former Thropp site and the derelict park / housing sites. Working with the State, the city secured approval to remove the exis ng park and replace it with a larger park on the former Thropp site; allowing for the demoli on of the derelict housing and construc on of a significant new housing development to include the former park property. This set the stage for a large new state of the art recrea onal center, complete with play‐
grounds for differing age levels, a picnic pavilion and restroom, a spray pool that also serves as an amphitheater, basketball courts, park ligh ng and an ‘iconic’ park sign. These features combined with extensive landscaping, large open lawn areas and a pathway system allowing for easy access to PJ Hill elementary school provide for a much broader range of ac ve and passive recrea onal opportuni es then were previously available. Funding was commi ed through the NJ Green Acres program, the NJ HDSRF program, two separate EPA cleanup grants, EPA assessment grant funds, NJHMFA, and Mercer County Open Space. Community efforts to revitalize the neighborhood, and these sites in par cular, began when the Mar n House/Be er Commu‐
nity Housing of Trenton (BCHT), a non‐profit group with a successful track record of providing safe, clean affordable housing in Trenton, proposed low‐income housing as an end use for the redevelopment of the site. The former Greg Grant Park site is located in the State Street Redevelopment Area, a redevelopment area established under the State of New Jersey’s Redevel‐
opment and Housing Law, and was a large part of BCHT’s campaign of “100 Homes for 100 Families.” Gas Sta on Inventory, Assessment, and Inves ga on: In order to determine the best use of the city’s $200,000 EPA Brownfields Petroleum Assessment Grant, an inventory of exis ng and former gasoline sta ons was conducted. The inventory iden fied 148 former gasoline sta ons, 86 of which have no history of compliance with any environmental laws or regula ons. Eight of those 86 sites are owned by the City of Trenton as a result of tax foreclosure. To date, this grant has funded mul ple Preliminary Assess‐
ments (PA), Geophysical Inves ga ons, Site Inves ga ons (SI), groundwater monitoring, and Remedial Inves ga on (RI) ac vi es. Many of these sites represent vacant, blighted lots within many of our city’s neighborhoods. With a second Petroleum Assessment Grant received in 2007, the city has con nued these efforts, conduc ng addi onal soil and remedial inves ga ons. The hope is to make these sites available for redevelopment through comple on of necessary assessments, inves ga ons and, if necessary, remedia on. Enterprise Avenue Industrial Park: This project is taking a large abandoned industrial building in a blighted area and is crea ng a vibrant small industrial complex with public access to the Assunpink Creek. This ini al development is expected to spur addi onal improvements along Enterprise Avenue, reclaiming mul ple brownfields for produc ve use. This project is ul mately expected to lead to approximately 75 new jobs for local ci zens. The City of Trenton received funds to acquire industrial proper es which were subject to repeat flood losses (Scarpa , Storcella, and Clinton Commerce Center), and replace these with a modern “disaster resistant” industrial park (Enterprise Avenue), through the US EDA to develop a “Disaster Resistent” industrial park a er Hurricane Flloyd in 1999. Addi onal funds were acquired from local, state, and private sources to assist in acquisi on of vital proper es for this project. Enterprise Avenue—Greenway Enterprise Avenue—Streetscaping A achment 5 City of Trenton Brownfield Proper es Acreage
Being
Open
Housing
Acreage
Developed Developed Space (acres)
(# units)
Open SpaceResidential Retail
CITY BROWNFIELDS PROPERTIES
Addiction
1.45
1.45
Amtico
2.7
Aratex (250 Ewing)
2.58
2.58
Arena Parking (104 Hamilton)
0.3
Arena Parking (Midak)
0.6
Arena Parking (Nucera)
0.5
Blakely Laundry
1.6
1.6
*
1
Canal Plaza
1.6
1.6
0.6
22
1
1
Champale Brewery
2
2
84
1
Champale Warehouse
3.5
3.5
Cheyney Flashing
1.4
Circle F
1.8
1.8
70
1
Clinton Commerce Center
9.64
Commons lot
0.27
0.27
Cooper Pool Expansion
1.5
Crane
9.95
9.95
Crescent Wire (200 N. Olden)
2
2
2
1
CV Hill (24 acres - 0.21 [res])
24
24
52
1
CV Hill Lot (Pennington Shp. Vill.)
13
13
Father Rocco Park / Calhoun Street
7.3
7.3
7.3
1
Federated Metals
4.65
Ferry St. Mews I
0.4
0.4
12
1
Ferry St. Mews II
1
Fire HQ
1.94
1.94
Fischer
1.6
former s/s: 678 N. Clinton
0.06
former s/s: 193 Brunswick
0.36
former s/s: 80 Oakland
0.2
former s/s: 902 Calhoun
0.16
former s/s: 700 Calhoun
0.29
0.29
former s/s: Front/Montgomery
0.3072
0.3072
former s/s: 502 MLK
0.2
former s/s: 1011 S. Broad
0.2252
former s/s: 421 Bridge St.
0.09
former s/s: 364 Greenwood
0.1
former s/s: 398 N. Olden
0.1
former s/s: 1225 E. State St.
0.2
0.2
N. Olden 302
0.05
former Johnson's Welding: 23 Garfield
0.4
0.4
S. Warren 102
0.13
0.13
S. Warren 110
0.1
Powerhouse
0.75
Freightyards
35
George Page Park
5
5
5
1
Glen Cairn Arms
0.95
0.95
Greg Grant Park (former)
1.7
1.7
32
1
Hanover Place
3.6
Head Start/Ringold (Monument Medical Arts)
1.45
Hermitage Ave (230)
0.28
0.28
Hermitage Plaza (213-223)
0.34
0.34
Hetzel Field
9.28
Hollywood Auto
1.4
0.34
0.34
17
Homeless Shelter
Hotel/Garage
3.0842
3.0842
Kramer
6.5
3.859
3.859
Lewis Bros. Ceramics (106 Mulberry)
Light Rail (Camden & Amboy RR)
2
2
Light Rail (100-102 Hamilton)
1.35
1.35
Light Rail (United NJ RR)
0.11
0.11
Luzerne Rubber (Penninox)
3.3
3.3
Magic Marker (4.4) + Louise Lane (?)
7.296
7.296
2.896
42
1
1
Massaro
2
Mercer Bus Garage
4.539
4.539
Milner
1
MLK (667)
0.13
0.13
MLK-Jefferson School
9.63
9.63
Site
Mixed
Commerc. Industrial
Public
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
development status
1 Developed
possible acquisition for Greenway
Developed
interim surface parking
interim surface parking
interim surface parking
Developed
Developed
Developed
Developed
acquisition pending (litigation)
Developed
planned for open space/recreation
Developed (office)
Green Acres Swap pending
Developed
Developed
Developed (industiral/residential)
Developed
Developed
acquired
Developed
planned for residential
1 Developed
planned for open space/recreation
available (open space? Resid?)
available
sale pending (auction)
sold (auction)
sold (auction)
sold -surface parking for adj. building
available
interim use - surface parking
available
in right-of-way
vacant former s/s
sold (auction) - devel in prog.
vacant (planned for Assunpink G'way)
sold (auction) - devel in prog.
Developed
Development planned
planned for open space/recreation
planned for open space/recreation
Developed
sold to TESC - devel. In prog.
Developed - sold
interim use (surface parking)
Development planned
1 Developed
Developed
Developed
planned for open space/recreation
1 Developed
Developed - sold
planned for public use
Developed (Hutchinson Ind.)
1 Developed - Light Rail Line
1 Developed - Light Rail Train Shed
1 Developed - Light Rail Line
Developed
Residential Devel. 2009
1
1
Redeveloped? Environmental Status
planned for open space/recreation
Developed - Industrial
planned for open space/recreation
Developed
1 Development in Progress (school)
1 NFA - DN
PA/SI planned
1 NFA Pending???
PA
PA
PA
1 NFA
1 NFA Pending ???(DN required on open spa
1 NFA
1 NFA-DN
DN required. Soil RI phase
1 ??? - nfrap
RAW phase???
1 NFA - AOC
PA/SI completed
1 NFA (most of site)-RAW required (1 lot)
1 RAW phase???
1 NFA-CEA
1 NFA-DN
1 NFA pending
SI completed. RI/RA in progress
1 ??? - nfrap
1 USTs removed - gw issue remains (Spill fnd)
RI/RAW phase???
remediated (RAO)
RI required
DN required
NFA (UST); DN required
DN/CEA required
1 PA - nfrap
evidence of USTs; Gulf Refining liable?
PA. NFRAP
NFA
UST in ground???
active - publicly funded - RI complete
PA/SI. NFRAP
active - publicly funded - RI complete
PA/SI. NFRAP
1 NFA pending (Kirstin)
RA in progress
RA phase
RI/RAW phase???
1 RA completed; soil permit and RAO needed
NFRAP
1 NFA - DN/RAP
SI complete (no impacts found)
transferred to SCC (DN; RI/RAW phase??)
1 RI phase for GW; DN required
1 no known SI/RI after AOC NFA
expanded RI needed
NFA???
1 DN
1 CEA/DN - vapor inv. Required
RA phase completed (DN req)
1
1
1
1
1
1
active - KCS
PA - NFRAP
PA - NFRAP
PA - NFRAP
NFA (1994) - DN
NFA soil - GW mon. ongoing
???
1 Post-Rem monitoring/DN required
PA/SI phase
1 NFA (AOC)
1 NFA
Monument Crossing I
Monument Crossing 2 (Block 41)
Monument Crossing 2 (Block 42)
Old Water Works 1
Old Water Works 2
Oxford Street
Pattern Machine & Foundry
Pennington (99)
Pratico
Princeton Commerce (Cordey China, Enterprise)
PSE&G Substation (N. Olden Ave.)
Pukala
Recycling Center
Roebling PAC
Roebling Block 3
Roebling Invention Factory (Apex Warehouse)
Roebling Market/HMFA
Roebling Pellettieri Homes
Scarpati (incl. former s/s at 26 Mulberry)
Sinclair Terminal (former)
Storcella
Street Yard
Sweeney
104 Taylor
Thropp - Thropp Site (Greg Grant Pk.)
Thropp - V&S (Greg Grant Pk.)
Thropp - Standard Roofing (Greg Grant)
Trent House Square
Warren Balderston
Wellington - Mott St./Sunset Lamp
West Hanover (482)
WW Firehouse
WW Senior Center
Wilkins Parcel (Hart Ave.)
Youngs Rubber (Enterprise)
Zieger property
1.6
0.845
0.75
0.5
0.5
3.66
0.46
0.14
2.336
4.4
0.17
1
1.07
0.931
6.17
1.159
12.533
0.85
2
0.6
2.18
1.64
0.17
4.8
1.45
1.1
0.21
11.3
2.18
2.9
0.13
1.5
0.09
0.5
6.338
2.95
1.6
0.845
0.75
0.5
84
*
*
18
0.5
0.14
0.14
Roebling Block 2
Roebling Block 1
Sovereign Bank Arena
Waterfront Park
YMCA (Apex and County prop.)
6.2
8.68
8.49
13.85
8
1
1.159
12.533
0.85
69
Developed (may be 1.6 to 1.9) check
Developed
Developed
Developed
sold -devel in prog. (CleanTex parking)
vacant
demo. In progress
1
1
1
1
Redeveloped - open space
1
urban farm planned
available
vacant
planned for open space/recreation
vacant
available
development planned
1 availalble
Developed
Developed
planned for open space/recreation
floodprone - wetl. Restor.
planned for open space/recreation
city DPW yard
1
1
1
1
1
vacant - land swap planned
1.45
1.1
0.21
1.45
1.1
0.21
planned for open space/recreation
Developed
Developed
Developed
interim use (surface parking)
1
1
1
NFA
NFA
NFA
NFA
NFA
RI required (soil and GW)
RI/RA required (hist. fill)
NFA - AOC (UST)
E&IC required
DN required
PA/SI completed. NFRAP
???
NFA - AOC
DN (status??)
RI required - gw; DN required
NFA
??? Nfrap
NFA
PA/SI completed
SI completed. NFRAP
???
RI required - gw; DN required
NFA - DN
1.5
0.09
Developed
Developed - Self Storage
vacant - availalble
1 Developed
1 Developed
1 RAO pending??
1 RAO pending??
1 RAO pending??
RA required (hot spots)
1 NFA
1 nfrap
remediated - waiting on NFA
1 NFA
1 RI required - gw
2.95
available (ind.)
1 Developed
DN/RAP in progress
1 RI/RAW required
2.18
2.9
35
1
1
Acreage
Being
Open
Acreage
Developed Developed Space
OTHER BROWNFIELDS PROPERTIES
Site
1
1
1
1
Housing
(# units)
Open SpaceResidential Retail
Mixed
Commerc. Industrial
Public
development status
Redeveloped? Environmental Status
planned for rennaissance school
8.49
13.85
13.85
1 Sovereign Bank Arena
Watefront Park
planned for new YMCA
1
under oversight of NJSCC
active - DN???
1 ??? nfrap
1 ??? nfrap
DN in progress - MCIA
totals for trenton brownfields program
Acreage
Average size
331.5
3.1
Acreage
Being
Open
Developed Developed Space
169.9
2.3
Housing
(# units)
34.5
537
Open SpaceResidential Retail
10
14
Mixed
2
Commerc. Industrial
2
6
Public
6
development status
Redeveloped? Environmental Status
13
53
50
*considered part of Monument Crossing (84 units total)
percentage of total land
6.91%
3.54%
active sites =
additional action may be required and/or taken =
total sites =
106