FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 30, 2016

Residents are invited to attend an upcoming drop-in informational session on the City of Savannah’s application for a U.S. EPA Brownfield Grant focused on properties within the MLK/Montgomery St. corridor. This session will be an opportunity for corridor residents to learn more about the Brownfield program, help identify potential properties in the neighborhood to consider, and share community needs that could be met through the redevelopment process. The informational session will be held in conjunction with a Wells Park fair hosted by the Savannah Development & Renewal Authority. The event will include participation from community and health organizations, as well as activities for youth. 

Residents are invited to drop-in at Wells Park at 38th St. on Saturday, December 3 from noon to 3 p.m. to learn how this effort could help our community:

• Clean up environmental contamination,
• Improve community health,
• Identify key properties for revitalization,
• Add to the community vision for the corridor.

Brownfield sites are abandoned or little used properties, that are often well-placed geographically for redevelopment but the environmental issues associated with their historical use often makes them unattractive to redevelopment, such as former gas stations or dry cleaners. The grant dollars will allow the City to address these concerns and begin remediation to spur future redevelopment. City staff has been working with closely with community stakeholders and the EPA on the effort to prepare the grant application. 

The City’s proposal for this initial application targets the MLK Blvd/Montgomery St. corridor from Bay Street south to Exchange St, and the grant could provide up to $300,000 in funding.