Brownfields Supplemental Assistance Fact Sheet

PILOT SNAPSHOT
	Date of Announcement: April 2001 Amount: $150,000
Target Area: City of Cedar Rapids, IA Profile: The Pilot will target two sites from the original Pilot in the South-Side neighborhood for follow-up assessments and one site for initial Phase I and Phase II assessments.

BACKGROUND

EPA has selected the City of Cedar Rapids to receive supplemental assistance for its Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot. Cedar Rapids (population 108,751) is the largest community in eastern Iowa. There are several areas in the city, including the targeted South-Side neighborhood, with disproportionately high numbers of elderly, low-income, and minority residents. Unemployment in the targeted area is 13 percent, and 30 percent of the area's population lives in poverty. Nearly 38 percent of the area's residents are elderly, and 28 percent of the residents are minority.

The original Pilot targeted three sites-a former meat-processing facility, a building that housed a steel fabricating business, and an abandoned iron foundry-for assessment to facilitate cleanup and redevelopment. Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments have been conducted on the latter two of the properties, and demolition of structures on the properties is in progress. Funding from the supplemental grant will be used to carry out additional, post-demolition assessments on the two properties and to conduct Phase I and Phase II assessments at the former meat-processing facility. This site has been designated as two parcels: a five-acre former factory parking lot, and the Sinclair Business Park, a 30-acre parcel that has been providing moderate-cost commercial and warehouse space in the old industrial buildings. Both parcels have been in industrial use for the past 130 years.

OBJECTIVES

The city's goal is to build on the original Pilot's efforts and to continue to address the environmental issues associated with the cleanup and redevelopment of the South-Side neighborhood. The objective is to revitalize the local economy and improve the quality of life in this disadvantaged neighborhood.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Activities planned as part of this Pilot include:

• Conduct follow-up, Phase III site assessments following the demolition of structures at the former Iowa Iron Works and Iowa Steel sites;
• Continue negotiations with the owners of the former meat-processing facility to either purchase the property or obtain access to perform environmental assessments;
• Conduct Phase I and Phase II site assessments at the former meat-processing facility; and
• Identify and inventory additional brownfields in the Pilot area.

The cooperative agreement for this Pilot has not yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.

CONTACTS

City of Cedar Rapids Department of Development
(319) 286-5041

Regional Brownfields Team
U.S. EPA - Region 7
(913) 551-7786

Visit the EPA Region 7 Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/brownfields/index.htm

For further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/