What is a Brownfield? According the EPA site, brownfields are “real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.” 

This week I attended the Florida Brownfield Conference in Orlando.  Until recently, I had not heard much about brownfields, and apparently I was not alone.  Brownfield development has been around for quite some time.  Only recently has it become a viable development practice because of government involvement.  The State and Federal government have stepped in and allocated funds and incentives to help redevelop contaminated sites.

Typically old dry cleaners, manufacturing facilities or petroleum sites are designated brownfield sites.  Developers and communities come together and change the old site into a new viable site. Sites are transformed into housing, office buildings or community parks.  Redeveloping brownfield sites have economic benefits as well as environmental benefits. 

The redevelopment creates new jobs and increases tax revenue, as well as reduces sprawl (preserve open space).  During the conference, speaker Matt Robbins stated ” there are over 400,000 designated brownfield sites all over the country. Redeveloped brownfield sites have created over 500,000 jobs.” 

The one thing that I took away from this conference is that brownfield development is just as important as green development, it is just not as cool.  I urge everyone to look at brownfield sites and imagine what the possibilities are.

Hurricane Noel battered beaches up and down the South East Florida Coast. We’ve mapped the long-term effects of erosion on Hutchinson Island (Martin County), Riviera Beach (Palm Beach County) and South Palm Beach (Palm Beach County). In each area buildings are threatened. In fact, the foundations are being undermined on Hutchinson Island and Riviera Beach.The images below show the devastation to the beach–wiping away recent beach re nourishment work.

Tropical Storm Noel passed along the South Florida Coast today, wreaking havoc on the already battered beaches. GlobalMind On-Site crews were on the scene surveying the damage with a precision 3-D laser scanner. At the same time our digital mapping group compiled historical aerial photographs dating back to 1957 to document the changes to the beach. The images shown here are the product of today’s work.

The first image shows the beach eroded under the Ocean’s Edge at Singer Island condominium in Riviera Beach. There is a shear 20 foot drop from the level of the building and the beach below. The ocean has begun taking sand from underneath the building.

The second image shows the beach as it was in 1957, 1979, 1995, 1999, 2005, June 2007 and today. The beach has lost 215 feet since 1957 and 65 feet since June. Much of those loses are a result of Tropical Storm Noel moving north, parallel to the Florida Coast.

Thanks to the South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for providing historical aerial photographs.