Andrew Bracker, Brownfields Coordinator
City Hall, 16th floor
414 E. 12th St.
Kansas City, Mo. 64106
Phone (816) 513-3002
andrew_bracker@kcmo.org
Brownfields are former industrial or commercial properties that are idle or underused due to real or perceived environmental contamination. Brownfields do not include highly toxic Superfund sites. Instead, they are lightly contaminated, if at all. Often the fear of contamination problems scares businesses away, who prefer to build on "greenfields" in the sprawling suburbs.
Some of Kansas City's best industrial properties are idle or underused. Located close to downtown, these sites feature access in all directions, utilities and infrastructure, and central regional location. Reuse of these sites could generate hundreds of new jobs and millions in new tax revenue. Gateway Computers, located in the West Bottoms, is an excellent example. But developer interest lags. Why? One reason is environmental problems. Proposals to redevelop these "brownfield" sites often stall on the desks of wary lenders.
Brownfields redevelopment is essentially urban revitalization with an environmental twist. Hundreds of cities are working to reclaim their urban centers and brownfields are a key part of that goal. Kansas City, Mo. and many cities across the country are spending millions of dollars to identify and redevelop these idle eyesores.
About KCBI
The Kansas City Brownfield Initiative (KCBI) administers the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant that is the first of its kind in Kansas City. The pilot is sponsored by a diverse group that includes representatives of Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri local governments, EPA, local business and industry associations, community groups and non-profit community and environmental organizations.
KCBI's main objectives are simple: (1) to facilitate at least one successful brownfield redevelopment on each side of the state line to serve as an example and spur further efforts and investment; and (2) to build a permanent brownfield redevelopment program in the greater Kansas City area.
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