The Ansonia Copper & Brass plant in New Hampshire's Naugatuck Valley is scheduled to be demolished this week, and remediation efforts will follow, according to the New Haven Register. The city recently received a $200,000 state grant to work on the brownfield site, which has been contaminated by a long history of industrial metalwork. City officials estimate that it will take about a week to clean up the entirety of the seven-acre site.
The rusted-out building sits in the heart of downtown Ansonia, according to the city's Economic Development Director, Sheila O'Malley. She explained that its redevelopment will "spur economic activity for the whole city," and that developers are already expressing interest in the property.
O'Mailey told the source that a developer is drafting plans for a grocery store and residences on the site, to be shared with another potential manufacturing tenant. The land is just minutes away from Interstates 84 and 95, making it a desirable location for many professionals to live and work.
"This is an exciting new chapter for the city of Ansonia," Mayor David Cassetti told the Register. "Blighted industrial space is being converted into a blank canvas on which the future of economic development can be painted."
Mayor Casetti expressed contentment that city officials and Ansonia Copper & Brass property owner Ray McGee were able to come to an agreement on the clean-up of the site. McGee's organization covered the cost of demolition and remediation, while the city forgave approximately $400,000 in property taxes.
Addressing contaminated sites provides an excellent opportunity to boost local tax bases and breathe new life into the economy. While remediation can be an expensive pursuit, working with an environmental consultant can help to identify the most effective and cost-efficient means of returning land to usable condition.