Myth #2: Brownfields are not suitable for commercial or community reuse. Reality: Contrary to this common myth, brownfield properties are being successfully cleaned up and reused as hospitals, nature observatories, schools, corporate headquarters, high-rise urban condominiums, and single-family housing developments. State and federal environmental agencies, working with individuals cleaning up brownfields, often tailor the cleanup to the intended reuse, be it industrial, commercial, residential, or recreational. Those properties cleaned up for non-residential uses may meet less stringent cleanup standards and have lower cleanup costs than those that will be used for residential sites and school facilities.

One example is the former Bayley Company property, located in Springfield, Ohio. Suitable for commercial and community re-use, the property was originally developed as a manufacturing facility in the late 1800s by William Bayley, an icon of Springfield’s industrial revolution. The facility operated until the mid 1980s. ...

You need to register to view the rest of the article. Click here to subscribe.