Mayor Bollwage: Revitalizing Brownfield Sites in Elizabeth
The Big Idea:
● During his 32 years serving the city of Elizabeth, NJ, Mayor Christian Bollwage has made it a priority to clean up and redevelop numerous brownfield sites throughout the city in an effort to reinvigorate the community.
● Mayor Bollwage testified in September 2023 before a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee about the benefits of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Program, sharing how Elizabeth City’s brownfield redevelopment has created market-rate and affordable housing, retail, and office buildings that provide new services for residents, commuters, and visitors.
Background:
● A brownfield is a property where expansion or development may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
● The EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization Programs empowers communities like Elizabeth to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields.
● Some of the most notable brownfield redevelopment projects in Elizabeth include the Harbor Front Villas, the Jersey Gardens Mall, the Midtown Redevelopment Area, and the Elizabethport/Hope VI project.
● A lifelong and deeply well-respected resident of Elizabeth, Mayor Bollwage was first elected in 1992 and is one of the country’s longest serving mayors. Besides his work with brownfield sites, he has consistently worked to create a more efficient, successful, and environmentally friendly city.
Fun Fact:
According to the EPA, there are more than 450,000 brownfields in the U.S., potentially exposing local residents and ecosystems to hazardous substances.
Their Take:
Mayor Christian Bollwage
“I can’t say this strongly enough – the Brownfields Program is one of the most useful and effective federal programs for helping to revitalize America’s communities by putting abandoned or blighted property back to productive use. We’ve brought new market rate and affordable housing and job training opportunities. We’ve revitalized neighborhoods and provided new opportunities for long-term economic growth.”
