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Portions of Lodi, Kearny, Plainfield, Rahway, Somerville and Woodbridge have been designated as state Brownfield Development Areas, an action that is designed to help the six cities and towns work toward redevelopment goals.
"...This program is helping dozens of municipalities achieve their goals for the future through large-scale, coordinated redevelopment projects that spur economic development and create green jobs," state Acting Environmental Protection Commissioner Mark N. Mauriello said Tuesday.
"Most of these newly designated areas, as in Plainfield, are creating traditional, walker-friendly downtowns with access to train stations, while Woodbridge is reclaiming land contaminated by past industrial activities to develop cutting-edge businesses that conserve and recycle resources."
Brownfields are properties that have been abandoned or underutilized because of known or suspected contamination. The DEP's Brownfield Development Area program allows communities to designate clusters of brownfield sites for coordinated remediation and redevelopment.
Cities and towns that have been designated are eligible for grants of up to $5 million each year from the DEP's Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund for investigation and remediation. A case manager assists the communities in overseeing remediation, obtaining financial assistance and coordinating revitalization efforts with other state agencies.
Towns bring together various stakeholders to develop applications for designation. The stakeholders include owners of contaminated properties, potentially responsible parties, developers, community groups, technical experts, and residents. Municipal adoption of a formal redevelopment plan is required.
Plans for the six newly designated areas include:
- Lodi wants to re-create a downtown district between Borough Hall and Route 46 with retail and office space that will serve as a focal point for the town. Properties include a vacant rail spur, an abandoned commercial building and the sites of former chemical and dye manufacturers.
- Kearny plans to develop mixed senior-citizen housing, businesses and a riverfront walk on properties along the Passaic River that were the site of steel and metals factories, a linen mill and chemical processors.
- Plainfield plans to revitalize its central business district by redeveloping a number of vacant and underutilized properties with a mix of businesses such as banks, health spas, pharmacies and restaurants. The city wants to enhance the district's proximity to the rail station.
- Rahway wants to improve its business district with a 1,100-seat amphitheater and black-box theater within walking distance of the train station. Rahway also wants to acquire an apartment complex with the intention of attracting artists.
- Somerville plans to strengthen its economic vitality by redeveloping an old landfill and parking lots near the Raritan River with mixed-used developments that will have access to the Raritan Valley rail line.
Woodbridge wants to clean up past industrial contamination at properties along the Raritan and develop the area as an eco-park that allows companies to use each other's wastes as resources. The township is also developing a resource-recovery park for recycling, compost processing and other resource reuse.
Launched in 2002, there are now 31 Brownfield Development Areas across the state. Previously designated areas are in various stages of investigation, cleanup and redevelopment.
Cities and towns interested in being considered in the next round of designations are urged to meet with the DEP to discuss their redevelopment plans.
For more information on brownfields and the Brownfield Development Area initiative, click here.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
