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Brownfields Success Stories
From Slag to Riches
Through a $200,000 grant provided by EPA's Brownfields Initiative,
Pittsburgh's Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) was able to assess
a long-neglected 238-acre tract known as Nine-Mile Run, as well as the
6.7-acre Lectromelt facility, a former electroplating plant. Acquired
by the URA in late 1995, the Nine Mile Run site had for years been used
to store the waste products of the LTV Steel Corporation. Following
assessments, public investment in infrastructure improvements of the
Nine Mile Run site has been estimated as high as $50 million. $6.1 million
of these funds has been secured, and $600,000 has been spent on pre-development
costs. Total private investment is expected to exceed $200 million,
which will be used to develop 713 new housing units, approximately 100,000
square feet of new neighborhood commercial retail space, and 80 acres
of park land. 
By the project's completion, more than $240 million of new housing stock,
$10 million in new retail construction, and 1,680 temporary and permanent
jobs are anticipated. Construction is scheduled to begin in the summer
of 1999. Since only half of Pittsburgh's EPA Brownfields Pilot funding
was needed to evaluate the Nine Mile Run site, the remainder went toward
assessment of the Lectromelt site. The Pittsburgh Pilot leveraged $1.5
million in assessment and cleanup funds for the project; cleanup was
completed in 1997. A 100,000 square foot structure planned for this
site will serve light industrial and manufacturing purposes. Redevelopment
of the Lectromelt site will create 200 full-time jobs and leverage an
estimated $8.0 million in investments from private developers. 
In order to sustain the Brownfields Pilot's success, the City of Pittsburgh
and Allegheny County have committed to creating a Revolving Loan Fund
(RLF) for brownfields site cleanup and redevelopment, which will be
capitalized initially at $10 million. In addition, Pittsburgh is one
of only 24 Brownfields Pilots to receive a $350,000 EPA Brownfields
Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund grant. For more information on the Pittsburgh
Brownfields Pilot, contact Tom Stolle at (215) 814-3129.