The City of Southfield established the Southfield Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (SBRA) in 1993 to aid in rehabilitating properties with the intent of returning them to productive use. Our revitalization efforts seek to link environmental restoration with economic development by cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields and by improving policies to promote private redevelopment of brownfields. The purpose of the SBRA is to create jobs and generate tax revenues through redevelopment, thereby improving Southfield’s environmental and economic health.
What is a Brownfield?
A Brownfield, as defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), is an “abandoned, idled, or under-utilized industrial or commercial facility where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.” |
The City of Southfield has created an aggressive program to reverse the urban blight associated with brownfields — abandoned, potentially contaminated, functionally obsolete and blighted properties — and transform them into new industrial facilities, green spaces, affordable housing, and technological and manufacturing centers.
In recent years, the Southfield Brownfield Authority has facilitated the redevelopment of several key parcels in our community, including the Lear Corporation World Headquarters, Spring Haven housing development (former Southfield Downs Trailer Park), and the renovation of Tel-Twelve Mall. Every dollar going into a brownfield site is an investment that not only brings a return of more jobs, community revitalization and increased tax revenue, but of a more livable city as well.
U.S. EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant program
The City of Southfield has been granted $200,000 in funding from the U.S. EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant program. These dollars are targeted toward conducting site-specific assessments and cleanup planning related to brownfield sites. Assessment grant funds may not be used to conduct cleanups.
The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority EPA Grant will: 1) increase the effectiveness of land use; 2) encourage communities to take an active role - becoming more involved in revitalizing their neighborhoods; and 3) to attract more developers to consider investing in the future. This means a constant renewal of land and resources.
Priorities
The City of Southfield will prioritize which sites to proceed with based on a number of factors, including ease of acquisition, availability of funding, complexity of cleanup, redevelopment potential and timing. Of course, a major consideration is the contamination itself — depending on the type of contamination, the environmental condition of a site often worsens over time.
Inquiry Form
The Southfield Brownfield Redevelopment Authority makes brownfields redevelopment as attractive as developing any other desirable property. In order to request assistance from the fund, please complete the form below and return it to rfreeman@cityofsouthfield.com.
Click here for fillable Assessment Grant Application