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EPA grant to clean up site slated for sustainable housing development in Lakewood, Colo.

Release Date: 06/06/2011
Contact Information: Dan Heffernan, (303) 312-7074; Matthew Allen, (303) 312-6085; Bill Lunsford, Lakewood Housing Authority, 303-987-7581

Brownfields funds to help remove petroleum contaminated soil at property along future West Corridor light rail line

(Denver, Colorado – June 6, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today awarded the Lakewood Housing Authority (LHA) a $189,000 grant for cleanup activities at the future site of the Lamar Station Apartments in Lakewood, Colo. The funds will be used at the five-acre site to remove roughly 4,200 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil left behind from prior industrial and commercial activities. Today’s award is among 214 Brownfields grants totaling $76 million that EPA is providing in 40 states and three tribes across the country.

“The thorough cleanup of contaminated soil is a critical step towards revitalization of this property,” said EPA’s Brownfields coordinator in Denver, Dan Heffernan. “This grant will set the stage for a redevelopment project that will create sustainable housing and support temporary and permanent jobs for the area.”

The site is located in the Two Creeks neighborhood at 6150 West 13^th Ave, an area that is a focal point for urban renewal due to its proximity to the West Corridor light rail line scheduled to open in 2013. Once cleanup is complete, LHA plans to redevelop the site into an affordable housing complex featuring 176 energy-efficient apartment units. Site redevelopment plans also include extensive outdoor open spaces and direct light rail access.

The site was occupied by a variety of industrial, auto, and commercial uses until it became vacant in 2004, at which time LHA acquired the property. Since that time LHA has made significant investments to remove asbestos, demolish buildings, and sample soil to determine the extent of environmental contamination. This grant will help LHA complete the cleanup of the site.

EPA’s brownfields grants are used to assess and clean up abandoned industrial and commercial properties like deserted gas stations or closed smelters. There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites in America. These investments help leverage redevelopment, promote economic growth and lead to job creation.
 
Since its inception, EPA’s brownfields investments have leveraged more than $16.3 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from a variety of public and private sources and have resulted in approximately 70,000 jobs.  Brownfields grants also target under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods – places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed. 
 
More information on the FY2011 grant recipients by state: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/pilot_grants.htm

More information on EPA’s brownfields program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/

More information on brownfields success stories: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/index.htm