Cheyenne receives $1M for property cleanup and revitalization

EPA Press Release:

EPA Brownfields grant supports City’s efforts to redevelop contaminated properties in the West Edge area

U.S. EPA: Richard Mylott, 303-312-6654

City of Cheyenne: Matt Ashby, 303-637-6271

(Denver, Colorado—May 9, 2013) At a ceremony in Downtown Cheyenne, Wyo., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assistant regional administrator, Martin Hestmark, today presented Mayor Richard Kaysen with a $1,000,000 grant for the assessment and cleanup of contaminated properties in the City of Cheyenne’s West Downtown area. The EPA grant will be used to capitalize a fund from which the City will provide loans and sub-grants to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances and petroleum. Today’s announcement is part of $62.5 million in EPA Brownfields funds awarded to 240 grantees nationally to advance property revitalization, job creation and economic development.

"The City of Cheyenne continues to demonstrate exemplary leadership in integrating property cleanup into a vision for downtown redevelopment," said Hestmark. "EPA is proud to help the City continue to create jobs, civic amenities, and new business opportunities by reviving blighted and abandoned properties. These are investments that will ensure that Cheyenne remains a vibrant place to live, visit and do business.”

In fact, the City is leading by example, with the intent to transform the site of today’s announcement, a former automobile dealership, into a new $25 million Public Safety Center, demonstrating Cheyenne’s commitment to downtown revitalization.

"The partnership in this coalition demonstrates that we are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a commitment to make Downtown Cheyenne the location of choice for business and citizens who are looking for a place to live, work, and play," said Cheyenne Mayor Kaysen. "This multi-faceted approach demonstrates that we are gaining momentum in our ongoing commitment to restoring Downtown Cheyenne."

"The West Edge project is just one way we can motivate redevelopment and positive progress in Downtown Cheyenne,” said City of Cheyenne Planning Services Director, Matt Ashby.  “It’s exciting to be a part of an effort that has such a broad spectrum of benefits for downtown: improving the environment while motivating redevelopment; addressing stormwater retention and filtration while adding greenscape; reducing flooding potential to encourage investment; and adding green infrastructure to make downtown livable. The result is a triple bottom net that impacts our citizens' safety, environment, and economy."

EPA grant funds will be used by a City-led coalition to focus on the cleanup and redevelopment of several properties in West Downtown.  Opportunities exist along a railroad corridor serving an historic warehouse district, bordered by the former Dinneen auto dealership redevelopment projects. Plans include new commercial and retail development and a downtown park that will incorporate stormwater storage and water quality features. In addition, the City has plans to assess and clean up areas along 17^th Street with the long-term goal of extending an entertainment and dining district along the corridor. The City’s coalition partners include Laramie County and the Downtown Development Authority.

This award leverages $4.8 million approved by voters last August under the special purpose optional tax, known as the 6^thPenny, to address flooding concerns in the Lower Capital Basin. Today’s announcement also builds on previous EPA support for the City of Cheyenne’s efforts to assess and clean up properties. In 2011, the City received $1,000,000 in EPA Brownfields resources to support the assessment of dozens of properties in the West Edge area. These assessments are identifying the type and extent of contamination on sites and helping the City and its partners prioritize cleanup actions, reduce impacts to human health, and provide certainty to developers interested in investing in properties. This work is helping the City achieve the community defined goals outlined in PlanCheyenne, an integrated master plan for the City of Cheyenne and Laramie County.

These efforts are now setting the stage for earnestly marketing the area's assets and encouraging reinvestment into the West Edge.   Mayor Kaysen is optimistic about the future noting, “The success of this project will result in new jobs, new businesses, and more residents in Downtown Cheyenne speeding the revitalization of our community’s historic core .”

There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated sites in the United States. Under EPA’s Brownfields program, more than 20,000 properties have been assessed, and more than 850 properties have been cleaned up. EPA’s Brownfields investments have also leveraged more than $19 billion in overall cleanup and redevelopment funding from public and private sources. On average $17.79 is leveraged for every EPA Brownfields grant dollar spent. These investments resulted in approximately 87,000 jobs nationwide. When Brownfields are addressed, nearby property values can increase 2-3 percent.