The University of Utah has announced it has secured a $2 million federal grant aimed at cleaning up a contaminated 2-acre plot in Salt Lake City’s Rio Grande District.
This funding will be crucial for revitalizing a long-blighted area in downtown Salt Lake City.
The grant comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfield Remediation Program, which focuses on rehabilitating distressed areas that hold potential for development.
Isabeau Tavo, the university’s deputy director of real estate development, expressed enthusiasm for the project during a press event on May 29, held outside the historic Rio Grande Depot.
“This area has long been an industrial railroad corridor and it’s exciting to play a role in its revitalization,” she stated.
The university’s development plans are strategically aligned with the broader goals outlined in the Rio Grande District Plan, which envisions transforming the district into a vibrant innovation hub.
Accompanying Tavo at the announcement were city officials, representatives from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, and EPA Regional Director Cyrus Western.
This grant is part of a larger initiative, with a total of $267 million in brownfields grants announced by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin nationwide.
Western emphasized the project’s potential impact, noting, “Projects like this are just one chapter of this city and of this basin.”
He remarked that while some might perceive the area as without value, brownfield projects serve to highlight the transformation possible when local partners come together.
In 2021, the University of Utah Research Foundation acquired this land, which consists of seven adjacent parcels located along 400 South at 550 West.
This area is situated about one block southwest of the historic Rio Grande Depot, serving as the architectural cornerstone of the ambitious redevelopment plan aimed at revitalizing 20 blighted acres on the west side of downtown.
However, the redevelopment had been delayed due to the urgent need to address hazardous materials, including arsenic and volatile organic compounds, found in the soil due to the industrial history of the site that dates back to 1911.
All buildings on the property have been demolished since the university purchased the land for $6.8 million, leaving behind only foundations and weeds.
The Salt Lake City Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is spearheading the broader Rio Grande Plan, in which the university’s land plays a pivotal role.
This comprehensive plan seeks to completely reshape the area surrounding the Utah Transit Authority’s Salt Lake Central Station, positioned just west of the historic depot.
“Our aim is to capitalize on our access to transit to create a walkable, bike-friendly, and sustainable environment filled with active uses that will enliven the district,” explained Cara Lindsley, the CRA’s deputy director.
She emphasized the importance of reconfiguring the large city blocks into a more walkable scale, thereby establishing safer and more comfortable connections for the community.
Once fully implemented, the vision has the potential to transform the region into a memorable destination.
However, fulfilling this vision relies heavily on collaboration with landowners, as well as support from both state and federal agencies.
Lindsley acknowledged the unique challenges involved in redevelopment, stating, “There are unique challenges to redevelopment before land can be returned to productive use and these challenges often require multiple partners to come to the table.”
She stressed that cleaning up the contamination on university property would be essential for integrating this site into the overall vision for the Rio Grande District.
The overall cleanup cost is projected to exceed the EPA grant by up to $1.5 million, which will be financed by the University of Utah.
To achieve the cleanup, efforts will include removing contaminated soil and treating remaining soil in situ with chemicals that will render the contaminants harmless.
Michael Brehm, an engineer with the university’s Environmental Health & Safety Department, explained that the aim is to make the ground suitable for commercial use, although it will not be permissible for residential development due to cost constraints.
Western commended both the city and the university for their commitment to transforming a previously blighted area of Salt Lake City into an economic driver for growth and renewal.
“It’s an inspiring story,” he remarked, adding, “For every dollar of funding we put into projects like this, it creates $20 of community impact.”
He concluded by highlighting the latent potential in such partnerships, stating that with a little initiative and public funding, the doors to private investment can be opened, leading to remarkable transformations.
image source from：https://attheu.utah.edu/research/epa-directs-2-million-brownfield-grant-to-us-rio-grande-property/
