Contact: Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608/267-9661
MADISON– Governor Jim Doyle today announced that the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee (RACM), Milwaukee County, will receive a $300,000 Blight Elimination and Brownfield Redevelopment (BEBR) grant from the Department of Commerce (Commerce) to help redevelop an unoccupied and underutilized property.
“The cleanup and safe reuse of brownfield properties is about more than just renewing damaged or vacant land, it also helps spur additional reinvestment in these communities over the long haul,” Governor Doyle said. “I’m pleased we could help the City of Milwaukee with its plan to turn an environmentally damaged site into a beneficial housing development.”
The City of Milwaukee plans to develop affordable multi-family housing at 1542 North 31st Street in Milwaukee. The BEBR funds will be used to demolish the deteriorated industrial complex and remove asbestos. The RACM will also remove 32 underground storage tanks and perform environmental cleanup at an expected cost of approximately $1.1 million.
Commerce’s BEBR Program provides grant funds to municipalities, local development corporations, and the private sector to support assessment, remediation and return of contaminated lands to productive use. Brownfields are abandoned, idle, or underused industrial or commercial properties where redevelopment is hindered by real or perceived contamination.
For more information about the BEBR Program, contact Al Rabin, Commerce, at 608/267-8926.
