01-12-2016, 11:57 AM
Depending on how far you want to go between as-built re-use and complete demolition (knowing the latter to not really be an option or likely for this site), the remediation costs could change drastically. It's one thing to have to pull all the contaminant out of a structure or structure-covered ground that you're also removing, while another to fully preserve everything. So if the city were to remediate such that the structure remained unchanged, the remediation costs would be at their highest, but would eliminate many potential developers who may have wanted to partially preserve, partially modify the building, but would need that cheaper remediation to be reflected in the price, which the city would have already built the most expensive remediation into. I mean, I'd love it if in general, the utilities built (and priced) into brownfield non-remediation sites nearly precluded low-density options, but we know the general built profile for this site, and as a tricky one, we should leave as many possibilities open as we can.