LOCATION: Ocala, Fla.

SIZE: 7 acres

BACKGROUND: A derelict meat packing facility sat vacant for 10 years before the owner, who also ran a construction business, used the seven acre site for storage of his heavy equipment as well as a staging area for materials. Code violations and fines were piling up from the general neglect of the building, but also for an ammonia freezer system that continued to run without regular inspections. In addition, a huge electric bill had accumulated and went unpaid due to the operation of the freezer. Ultimately, in order to resolve the existing liens and bills, the owner deeded the property to the city of Ocala.

SYNOPSIS: The City designated the site as a Brownfield and succeeded in obtaining a U.S. EPA assessment grant. Phase 1 and Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) were conducted in order to pursue redevelopment of the property, while the local economic development agency began working to attract an investor. During the search process, additional grant funds were sought and obtained from the Florida Economic Development Administration to demolish the structures and remediate the site.

CLEANUP EFFORT: During remediation, several unregistered underground storage tanks were discovered, one of which ruptured, discharging large amounts of petroleum contaminants that had to be properly addressed. More than 30 55-gallon drums of unknown substances had to be removed from the site. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration was called in to monitor the deactivation of the ammonia freezer. Once the land was cleared, Economic Development Transportation grant funds were obtained to rebuild and widen the road fronting on the project. When all the key elements were in place, an investor was found, who offered to build a 75,000-square foot, multi-level office complex in which to move its corporate headquarters.

COSTS: $1,838,000 in grant funds. The city invested almost another $100,000, and the private investor will have spent more than $10 million in land purchase and construction.

RESULTS: The project will create more than 100 jobs; the road has been improved with sidewalks and new lighting; a contaminated site has been cleaned up and the neighborhood already has a new look of prosperity. Another large, empty building adjoining the site to the east has been purchased and renovated as a wholesale distribution center with almost two dozen new jobs. Meanwhile, the tax base for the neighborhood has multiplied substantially. Several other underutilized buildings in the immediate neighborhood have caught the interest of investors and a once declining area of the community is making a remarkable comeback.