Excel currently manages five designated BDAs throughout New Jersey. Excel has established a proven system for the management and proactive advancement of the BDAs in cooperation with the municipality and BDA Steering Committee and has assisted with leveraging millions of dollars in funding on behalf of the designated municipalities since 2006. A solid and mutually respectful working relationship has also been developed between Excel and the Office of Brownfield Reuse (OBR), particularly OBR’s Funding Coordinators and Project Managers and Section Chief, Timothy Bartle.
As indicated previously, Excel will assist the Municipality with the preparation and submission of a BDA application to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)’s OBR. The following tasks are required to prepare and submit the application:
Document Review
In order for Excel to become familiar with the project and compile relevant documentation in support of a BDA application preparation, Excel will conduct the following tasks:
- Review of any previously submitted BDA applications;
- Review of the Redevelopment Plan/Redevelopment Goals and Objectives;
- Review of the Municipalities Master Plan and most recent Master Plan Reexamination;
- Research to establish ownership history and use for all Brownfield properties; and
- Discussions and Documentation from various Municipal agencies and Departments related to the following topics:
- Demographics;
- Housing, Economic Activity and Public Assets;
- Local Planning Designations;
- Economic Development Designations;
- Transportation;
- Existing parks, Playgrounds, Public Spaces; and
- Community Vision.
Site Inspections and Photodocumentation
In support of the application and to become familiar with the BDA area and the individual Brownfield properties, Excel will conduct a tour of the Redevelopment Area and proposed BDA location to become familiar with the area and the individual Brownfield properties that are identified within the proposed BDA. Excel will photodocument each Brownfield property and other pertinent surrounding features of the Area and the Municipality. This task will also assist with completing the required Baseline Data Sheets for each Brownfield property. Excel also provides the BDA application review team with a photo tour of the proposed BDA, highlighting each Brownfield property and demonstrating the Municipality’s redevelopment accomplishments and ability to leverage funds as well as demonstrating the Municipality’s need for additional funding through BDA designation for the Redevelopment Area.
BDA Steering Committee Meetings
It is critical to demonstrate BDA Steering Committee activity or “history” as it relates to the proposed BDA and other Municipality redevelopment efforts. As such, Excel will coordinate and attend BDA Steering Committee Meetings for the purposes of preparing the application, discussing the Brownfield properties and outlining the objectives and vision of the Redevelopment Area goals. In doing so, the Application will establish that the BDA Steering Committee is active and has the ability to advance the Municipality’s redevelopment goals.
Once designated as a BDA, all fees for investigation phases (PA, SI and RI) will be 100% covered through a grant from the HDSRF program at no cost to the Municipality other than the one-time $500 application fee which must be submitted to New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) as part of the HDSRF application process. In addition, costs for RA phases of work within the BDA are reimbursed by HDSRF through a grant that covers up to 75% of eligible cleanup costs, regardless of the intended end use of the property. The remaining 25% can be matched in a number of ways depending upon the end use and nature of the redevelopment including a third party redeveloper and/or potential supplemental grant programs, if any apply (i.e. Green Acres, Community Development Block Grants, etc.).
Case Histories
- Chrome Waterfront BDA, Carteret, New Jersey
- Salem City Industrial District BDA, Salem, New Jersey
- Passaic Avenue BDA, Kearny, New Jersey
- Keasbey BDA, Woodbridge, New Jersey
- Keyport Waterfront BDA, Keyport, New Jersey