To most people, a junkyard is lost real estate with no further anticipated potential. To those who are involved in and understand Brownfields Redevelopment, a junkyard is an an opportunity waiting to be realized. The City of Clearwater recognized an opportunity to acquire a blighted junkyard in the heart of an emergency response area for the construction of a much needed Fire Station.

The area was heavily developed with mixed-use residential and industrial structures. The site was in the City’s State Enterprise Zone in addition to being within a designated local and state Brownfields Area. Instead of taking possession through condemnation, the City and its environmental consultant, took a proactive approach to redevelop the property through the city’s Brownfields program.

Using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant funds,Brownfields environmental site assessments were conducted.Through an innovative technique that combined remediation and design into one streamlined process, additional grant funds were obtained to integrate the existing environmental and design challenges the site presented. Unique approaches to site and stormwater design were undertaken utilizing risk-based corrective action agreements to target required remediation ‘hot spots’.

The total dollars spent on the project exceeded $3M. However, among the more important benefits to the community was the creation of seven new jobs while providing quick response fire protection to a critical area. Since the completion of the project, the City of Clearwater has presented the North West Fire Station as a model for its Brownfields Redevelopment Program. It is recognized for achieving the primary goals of environmental restoration, sustainable reuse, environmental justice, and promotion of community redevelopment. Building on the achievements of the Fire Station project, the City of Clearwater has been recognized for several other additional successes that characterize its Brownfields Redevelopment program.

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