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Success StoriesRainier CourtSouthEast Effective Development (SEED), a nonprofit organization, purchased seven blighted acres in the Rainier Valley for redevelopment into affordable housing and commercial space. The site was an unregulated landfill in the 1930s and '40s and had a number of subsequent uses, including vehicle storage and maintenance, electrical contracting, manufacturing, welding, offices and a mortuary. The site also had been used for illegal dumping and other criminal activities. Soil and groundwater contamination on the site included polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), petroleum, solvents and metals. Between 1999 and 2008, the Brownfields Program has assisted the project in several important ways.
The site is being redeveloped into a mixed-use housing and commercial project in four phases. Phase 1, Courtland Place, developed 208 units of low- and moderate-income elderly housing and 9,000 square feet of new commercial space that resulted in 150 construction jobs and 25 permanent jobs. Phase 2, the Dakota, developed 178 units of affordable family housing and offers community programs and a secure courtyard and playground for children. Subsequent phases will create a combination of market-rate and affordable housing and additional commercial space, resulting in more temporary and permanent jobs
Kwik CleanersThe Kwik Cleaners site is a former dry cleaners on Beacon Hill. In 1998, the owner of the nearby Delite Bakery purchased the site with the hope of moving and expanding her business there. Meanwhile, Sound Transit expressed interest in the site for possible use in construction of the Beacon Hill light rail station. However, when they conducted environmental sampling, they discovered that the soil and groundwater were highly contaminated with dry cleaning solvents and decided to find another site. The owner was at a loss as to how to deal with the environmental problems, but at the suggestion of Sound Transit, she contacted the King County/City of Seattle-funded Environmental Coalition of South Seattle (ECOSS) (external). As a result, between 2001 and 2003, she received extensive help in understanding and navigating the assessment and cleanup process. ECOSS staff reviewed existing environmental reports and referred her to an environmental attorney who was able to secure funds for assessment and cleanup from the insurance company of the former dry cleaners. The attorney and ECOSS staff also assisted the owner in hiring an environmental consultant to design and perform the cleanup. The site was cleaned up in 2003, and a groundbreaking was held with the King County Executive and the Mayor of Seattle on September 8, 2003. The new bakery opened for business on June 2, 2004, and held a grand opening (external) on July 16, 2004.
Middle Fork Snoqualmie RiverThis 22-acre property, located in rural King County along the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River, is the site of a former methamphetamine lab and illegal auto body chop shop. In 1996, the site was subject to a regional narcotics team bust and a Washington State Department of Ecology emergency cleanup; however, considerable debris remained, along with the threat of environmental contamination. King County wished to purchase the site for open space preservation but needed the site to be clean prior to purchase. Between 2000 and 2002, the county assessed and cleaned up the site, removing 190 tons of debris, 55 cubic yards of contaminated soil and 400 gallons of hazardous waste. Contaminants on the site included petroleum and solvents. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessment grant funds were provided via the Brownfields Program to conduct environmental sampling, and the cleanup was conducted by King County. King County Waterways 2000 Program funds were used to purchase the site, and the cost of the cleanup was deducted from the purchase price. The site is now a part of a 150-acre wildlife habitat that is being preserved through public ownership.
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Updated: Jan. 27, 2009
