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CASE STUDY >> ILLINOIS
Taking Back the Mississippi Riverfront
In 1999, citizens of a small Mississippi River city looked at a riverfront redevelopment concept and asked themselves, “Why should we?”
In the 1990s, East Moline, Illinois was a Mississippi River town without a public waterfront. In a flat manufacturing economy they found themselves landlocked from the river by the legacies of generations of formerly successful industry. The community was told the traditional model would be to build a commercial development on existing developed industrial properties and hopefully attract other developer interest that could integrate some elements of public access.
This community of less than 25,000 residents ignored “typical.” Instead, they took back their riverfront by transforming the industrial landfill first to residential use. Where not long ago dump trucks rumbled, residents today watch the river roll by from private decks. Where wetlands described as “a developer’s nightmare” once stood are now river connection habitat areas. School children will watch bald eagles soar over the river from the new River Interpretive Center in 2005.
Creativity and Community Involvement
Early recognizing the need for professional creativity and planning to make their vision a reality, East Moline prepared a redevelopment and economic redevelopment strategy that would simultaneously develop the riverfront and, by physical connection, assist the revitalization of downtown. They recognized the need for private and public sector support.
Community-minded citizens formed Revitalize and Develop East Moline (REDEEM), a not-for-profit 501(c) corporation. REDEEM reached into their pockets for seed money, and soon thereafter launched a major fundraising effort. Funds raised by REDEEM were used to fund preliminary due diligence environmental and economic development studies and fund other activities to foster economic development in cooperation with East Moline.
“The Quarter: A Brownfields Riverfront Redevelopment” emerged. The Quarter vision was to be a 100-acre hourglass-shaped zone of mixed-use development building along the Mississippi River waterfront. The Quarter would be designed as a city revenue-neutral project. Studies predicted at least $40 million in private sector investment could be generated over the life of tax increment financing. The public sector will have to contribute approximately $15 million.
The only riverfront property available had been used for decades by an agricultural implement manufacturer for disposal of miscellaneous residues and fills. The resulting 10 to 15 feet of industrial fill produced chemical impacts in all areas of the preliminary 12 acres of the development fronting on the river. The community and REDEEM rolled up their sleeves and set to work voicing a common, “How can we?”
Community outreach even included nearby Riverside Elementary School, within a mile of the former landfill. Fourth graders readily accepted the brownfield concept with comments such as, “Why that’s just recycling!” and, “People and animals can live together, you know.”
By the Numbers
In 1998 the city sought and won their first EPA brownfield grant. From 1999 to 2000, Phase I, II and III environmental studies were conducted on an expedited basis for the proposed condominium areas using the EPA grant in combination with an Illinois brownfield redevelopment grant.
Peripheral wetland areas deemed “problems” by early prospective builders were cleared of junk and debris and restored to habitat and wildlife preserves. Builders were promoted and secured for The Villas at Beacon Harbor, a series of $250,000 to $550,000 riverfront condominium constructions.
During 2000 and 2001, remedial action plans and risk-based closures were obtained for riverfront lots 3, 4 and 5, incorporating a groundwater ordinance as land use control. Environmental assessment/remediation costs on reused areas were less than $200,000.
These included innovative approaches to carry a successful remedy different from the initial $1.2 million “hog-and-haul” industry approach of digging up contaminants and trucking them to a landfill. The risk-based, property-specific remedies were arrived at through a consensus of stakeholders, state agencies and technical consultants. This approach both reduced and incorporated significant elements of the cost of remedy into construction.
No Further Remediation Letters were issued within the voluntary Illinois Site Remediation Program and supported financing lock-in by the builder. Site preparation and construction of infrastructure and the first phase of the condominiums was begun. Lot-specific soil management plans were used to maintain land use controls.
2002 and 2003 saw additional Phase II and III environmental assessment under a $150,000 Supplemental EPA Brownfield Assessment Demonstration grant for Lots 2 and 6. Construction was completed on the second phase condominiums using soil management plans.
2004 saw the public dock areas connected by water taxi to other Mississippi River communities in the area. The Quarter saw public use as a “go to” destination for the community’s 4th of July celebration. Today, evaluation for peripheral commercial interest and construction of a new welcome center continues.
Transformation to a Destination
The unsightly former industrial landfill has been transformed into private residences, private and public docks, a new bike and jogging path, new infrastructure with river access, commercial areas ready for construction and restoration of wildlife and ecological habitat areas.
This diversity of project already provides a source of living and entertainment accommodations that benefits the entire region. It is a smart growth project designed to create a destination for tourists, which will greatly assist the redevelopment of downtown East Moline and address quality of life needs for its citizens.
The Quarter has demonstrated in fewer than five years that quality of life, respect for the environment, residential community and commercial activity can all exist in harmony within relatively small areas.
The long-term vision for The Quarter includes a sports complex known as Gateway Park. In view of their other brownfield success, citizens of East Moline now ask themselves, “Why can’t we?”
By David E. Koch, principal at Terracon Consultants, Inc