The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $500,000 in federal funds to one of the largest brownfield redevelopment projects in the New England region. The Ludlow Mills redevelopment project will not only be an economic catalyst for the area, but will stand as an example of how new life can be breathed into abandoned industrial sites.
Once housing the Ludlow Manufacturing and Sales Company, Ludlow Mills – as it is called now – will receive a multimillion dollar renovation that will be comprised of a mix of commercial, residential and industrial uses. The vast 170 acre property has 60 buildings. In total, the comprehensive redevelopment plan for the entire site is on-going and is expected to be completed in twenty years.
Nearly $400,000 of the half of a million dollar allotment from the EPA will be used to remove or abate asbestos from two warehouse structures where the remaining funding will be used site-wide to determine what sort of clean up efforts are needed. Asbestos is a highly toxic material that is commonly found in manufacturing settings as remnants from production or in the building itself. Exposure to asbestos can lead to later development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that can affect the lining of the lungs.
Abandoned industrial sites that are polluted or contaminated with lethal substances are considered “brownfields.” Redevelopment of these sites is not only an environmental issue but an economic one as well. The scope of the clean-up efforts – or how contaminated the property is from past industrial use – typically speak to the potential of redevelopment. In addition to asbestos, pollutants such as lead, pesticides, solvents and other remaining industrial chemicals are often found at brownfield locations.
The funding from the EPA is in addition to nearly $6 million from both state and federal coffers.The investment into the redevelopment of Ludlow Mills from Massachusetts, the federal government and other sources pales in comparison to what the region will expect in economic gains, new jobs and private investments.
Immediately, work will begin on a $28 million rehabilitation hospital, and in 2014, work is expected to begin on a $24 million senior housing project.