Collaboration and diversification of resources and expertises were key messages echoed at Driving Revitalization Through Redevelopment and Resiliency workshop organized by the Center for Creative Land Recycling held on December 4, 2018 at the Viana Hotel in Westbury, NY. Over 110 people attended this unique workshop to learn about the trends in Long Island redevelopment and to mingle with leading state experts to turn community blights into admired spaces for economic development and sustainable living. 

On October 24 and 25th, CCLR, DTSC and US EPA convened over 250 redevelopment stakeholders for an intensive two-day land recycling workshop. From pitch competitions, office hours, mobile tours and an after hours brownfields karaoke sing-a-long, the conference was packed with networking, learning, and a bit of fun. 

CCLR’s “Igniting Revitalization” workshop on November 8, 2018  in Syracuse attracted redevelopment stakeholders from Central New York, Mohawk Valley and other parts of New York State,  The importance of aligning a revitalization project with a robust mix of assets was stressed repeatedly by participants across all lines of expertise.

Over  60 attendees from municipalities, state and federal government agencies and private sector professionals joined the NJ Brownfield Interagency Working Group at “Accelerate Land Reuse for Community Revitalization” at the Middlesex County Fire Academy on October 9, 2018. Speakers included a group of experts with redevelopment experience in legal, landscape design, remediation, municipal leadership, and development as well as representatives from federal and state agencies. 

The magnificent venue for the NJ Brownfield Interagency Working Group’s “Accelerate Land Reuse for Community Revitalization” was the 90-acre former landfill that has been transformed into the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Camden, New Jersey. The workshop included technical, legal, environmental, as well as federal, state, city, and private developer perspectives on land reuse and revitalization. The goal of the collaborative meeting was to assist municipal and county officials with vital tools to understand how to recycle contaminated sites for community wellbeing and sustainable development.  

Lean more about the four cities participating in California Land Recycling Conference "Perfect Your Pitch". Property summaries available here.

By Ignacio Dayrit, Director of Programs

Posted September 28, 2018

Spokane demonstrates how patience and perseverance bridge the occasional sparks that reinvigorate their planning and development efforts.

Sarah Sieloff, Executive Director

Posted September 28, 2018 

On September 25 and 26, 92 brownfields leaders from 24 states and Canada came together in Washington, D.C. for the inaugural National Brownfields Leadership Summit, a first-of-its-kind national gathering that brought together a wide variety of practitioners from the public, private and non-profit sectors.   

The energy in the room was palpable -- people had traveled from as far away as Alaska to join fellow brownfielders in the nation’s capital.  The Summit’s goal was to put practitioners directly in contact with federal agency leaders, provide updates about different federal agencies’ programs, and take our message of support for brownfield redevelopment to Capitol Hill.  It was exciting to see so many brownfielders together in one place – as Michael Goldstein, Managing Partner with the Goldstein Environmental Law Firm put it on LinkedIn, this event was “like Burning Man for Brownfielders.”  

By Ignacio Dayrit, Director of Programs

Posted September 27, 2018

Tacoma is home of the Museum of Glass. Not your average transparent, sheet glass. Or pedestrian glass ornaments. But stunning, multicolored, intricate works of glass art lauded throughout the world. Brownfields funding and success stories in Washington state may be just as stunning and lucrative - if you can figure it out.

By Ignacio Dayrit, Director of Programs

Posted September 20, 2018

I’m OK? Yes, they’re OK.

KFFM 107.3 radio complied some interesting alternative facts about Yakima, including:
Yakima is the backward spelling of how people felt. Amikay = “I'm OK”;
Yakima boasts sunshine 300 days a year only because the Earth tilts its axis away the other 65 days;
Yakima Valley produces about 75% of the nation's hops used in beer - and also consumes 75% of the US beer supply;
Yakima has been crime-free since '83. (They may have meant 1883)