3rd Annual NYS Redevelopment Summit: Keys to Successful Brownfield Redevelopment in 2018 and Beyond

CCLR’s 3rd Annual NYS Redevelopment Summit was held on June 13th and 14th, 2018 at the Sage College of Albany in Albany, NY. The program included over 52 expert speakers from the public and private sectors who provided essential information to over 250 Summit participants on redevelopment trends, funding and innovations needed to accelerate land reuse projects. The Summit demonstrated CCLR’s leadership role and State-wide voice in supporting national, state and local programs and policy for brownfield redevelopment and created a forum for information exchange. and connections.

Deputy Secretary for the Environment, Venetia Lannon, announced three more Designated Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOAs) at the Summit. These new BOAs are in Flushing, Staten Island, and Auburn, bringing to 47 the total number of designated BOAs in New York State. CCLR played an active role in this year’s legislative victory for BOA reforms and funding.

“This is one of those rare and opportune intersections of brownfield practitioners, investors, and policy makers. This is where ideas are exchanged, solutions are conceived, and partnerships are born,” says Christian Mercurio, Vice President of Planning & Development for Mohawk Valley EDGE, the regional economic development organization for Oneida and Herkimer counties.

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Please respond to our Summit Evaluation so we can provide more of what you want, where you want it. Click here.

Below are links to the Summit Program Book, Office Hour Booklet, and the powerpoint presentations. To view the powerpoint presentations, please click the speakers name. Speakers with available presentations are underlined.

3rd Annual Redevelopment PROGRAM BOOK

Day 1: June 13, 2018
1:00pm –1:30pm Registration and Sign up for Office Hours
1:30pm –1:50pm Welcome
Pat Fahy, NYS Assemblymember, District 109
Jean Hamerman, Deputy Director, CCLR

2:00pm – 5:15pm Technical Sessions (three run concurrently for 50 minutes)

Targeting Developers: Crafting High-Impact RFPs
This panel spotlighted strategies, considerations and key elements to include, and not to include, in your RFP/RFI to attract the best proposals. Lessons learned from current, real-world examples and a chance to engage in Q&A with panelists and peers on how to boost interest in your development opportunity before, during, and beyond the RFP process.
Christian Mercurio | VP Planning and Development, Mohawk Valley Edge
Bob Murray | Attorney, Harris Beach
Eric Zamft | Director, Planning & Eco Development, Village of Port Chester

Tailoring Your Applications to Win Grants
Grants provide a lifeline to municipalities seeking funds for infrastructure, remediation, resiliency measures, and other projects that directly or tangentially impact redevelopment plans. This panel spotlighted ESD’s Consolidated Funding Application and other funding programs and provide inside tips and insights to make your grant applications more competitive.
Lya Theodoratos | Brownfield Project Officer, US EPA
Amy Fisk | Senior Planner, Niagara County Economic Development
Michael Yevoli | Regional Director, Empire State Development
Ed Flynn | Planning Division Director, LaBella Associates

Interpreting Environmental Assessments
Learn the vocabulary of a Phase 1/Phase 2 assessment, what to look for, implications of the findings and key insights for next steps.
Deborah Shapiro | Vice President, AKRF
Daniel Riker | Department Manager, C&S Companies
Gabrielle Krawiec | Phase I Business Manager, LaBella Associates

Hot Topics in Remediation and Resiliency
This panel is designed to inform municipal leaders and redevelopment professionals about new and emerging topics in the fields of environmental remediation and climate change resiliency. Topics will include: a) funding and programs offered by New York State for smart growth, resilience and equity, b) the emergence of PFAS as a contaminant of concern in environmental regulation by DEC; c) implications of DEC’s recent changes in Part 360 solid waste regulations on management of surplus soil and fill from construction; d) newly emerging opportunities for municipalities to use these materials resources to improve their resilience to flooding and reduce exposure to pollutants in community settings.
Dan Walsh | Director, NYC Office of Environmental Remediation
Stephen Kline | Associate Principal, GZA
Paul Beyer | Director of Smart Growth, NYS Department of State
“Sustainable Development & Collaborative Governance: A handbook for New York” is found here

BOA to DRI: Community Case Studies of Successful Revitalization
Hear from economic development teams who successfully moved their pre-planning BOA grants into a $10 million investment in their downtowns.

Session #1
Lisa Nagle | Principal, Elan Planning, Design, & Landscape Architecture
Justin Rudgick | Director of Community & Economic Development, City of Oswego
Justin Rodgers | Managing Director, Real Estate and Economic Development, Greater Jamaica Development Corp.

Session #2:
Kimberly Baptiste | Government Practice Leader, Bergmann Associates
Julie Pacatte | Executive Director, Batavia Economic Development Corp
Rachel Tabelski | Director of Marketing & Communications, Genesee County Economic Development Center
Vince DeJoy | Director of Development, City of Jamestown

Regulatory Updates: Brownfield Cleanup Program and Solid Waste Regulations
NYSDEC enacted Brownfield Cleanup Program reforms and promulgated changes to the Part 360 Solid Waste Management Facility & Part 364 Waste Transporter regulations in 2017. Several important changes regarding management and reuse of fill material generated from construction activities were included in those regulations, as well as updates and improvements to the beneficial use regulations and the requirements for solid waste management facilities. Learn how the changes to both the BCP and Solid Waste programs affect brownfields and other redevelopment projects in NYS.
Mimi Raygorodetsky | Vice President, Langan
Julia Martin | Attorney, Bousquet Holstein
Richard Clarkson | Director, Bureau of Solid Waste Management, NYS DEC
Rick Mustico | Regional Remediation Engineer, NYS DEC

Leveraging Funding for Brownfield Revitalization: BUILD Act Resources, Opportunity Zones & Tax Credits, Grants & Finance
Two brownfield funding/finance experts will describe the broad range of resources that can support revitalization planning, cleanup, infrastructure upgrades, site development, vertical construction and other components of brownfield and community development projects. They will also cover new, emerging and innovative resources including Opportunity Zone funds, New Market Tax Credits, and BUILD Act resources and strategies for how you can position your organization and your project to be most competitive for funding.
Matt Ward | CEO, Sustainable Strategies DC
Kevin Gremse | Senior Director, National Development Council
U.S. EPA’s “Setting the Stage for Leveraging Resources for Brownfield Redevelopment” is here.

Office Hours: One-on-one consultations with public and private-sector experts
Speak one-on-one with public and private experts for assistance with all aspects of project planning and implementation, including U.S. EPA, NYS Dept. of State, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Empire State Development, NYC Office of Environmental Remediation, NYC Brownfields Partnership, Langan, National Development Council, AKRF, Harris Beach, Sustainable Strategies DC, Clean Earth, Skeo Solutions and Knauf Shaw.

5:15pm – 7:00pm Networking Reception – Opalka Art Gallery
Join us for a meet and greet, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.
Welcome: Kisha Santiago-Martinez | Deputy Secretary of State, NYS DOS
Reception sponsors: Mohawk Valley Edge, Harris Beach

Day 2: June 14th, 2018
8:00am – 8:45am Registration and Light Breakfast/Exhibitor Expo Area

8:45am – 9:45am Welcome
Kathy Sheehan | Mayor, City of Albany
Jean Hamerman | Deputy Director, Center for Creative Land Recycling
Keynote: Venetia Lannon | Deputy Secretary for the Environment

9:45am – 11:00am Staying Competitive in a Changing Redevelopment Landscape
Panelists will focus on market disruptions and opportunities based on federal tax laws, new environmental regulations, innovative remediation practices, shifts in program funding, and other trends that affect how we approach and pay for redevelopment.
Mark Gregor | Manager, Municipal Environmental Programs, LaBella Associates
Matt Ward | CEO, Sustainable Strategies DC
Bob Murphy | Director of Economic Development, City of Binghamton
Martin Brand | Deputy Commissioner, NYS DEC
Barry Hersh | Associate Professor, New York University

11:15am – 12:15pm NYS Redevelopment Policy and Practice Update
Panelists will discuss the latest state-level funding and policy developments and provide a front-line report about the future of New York’s ongoing revitalization strategies, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, Brownfield Opportunity Area programs. Learn about municipal practices that have successfully leveraged state funding for redevelopment success.
Jeff Jones | Principal, Jeff Jones Strategies
Sarah Stern Crowell | Director, Office of Planning, Development & Community Infrastructure, NYS Department of State
Brendan Mehaffy | Executive Director, Office of Strategic Planning, City of Buffalo

1:15pm – 2:15 pm Working with Stakeholders to achieve Redevelopment
This panel will highlight approaches that energize and target stakeholders to help build support for redevelopment. Building a positive coalition that keeps the process going after the planning process is over is key to long-term success. In addition to discussing novel approaches to community engagement including appropriate uses of social media, the panel will discuss engaging property owners, developers, and elected political leaders to support redevelopment over time.
Neil Pariser | Senior Development Consultant, Vita Nuova
Rebecca Yanus | Director of Planning and Development, City of Dunkirk
M. André Primus | Highland Planning LLC
Meghan Manion | Montgomery County Attorney, Montgomery County
Sally Baker | Executive Director, Philmont Beautification Inc.

2:30pm – 4:00pm Perfect your Marketing Pitch To Attract Developers
Have a property on the market and want to raise its profile and attract investment? This final panel will start with a panelist discussion on developing a community “asset stack” and how to embrace your role as an informed seller. Four competitively selected municipalities will then give their “elevator pitch” aimed at attracting developer interest in a specific redevelopment project in their community. The panelists will provide constructive input and spotlight ways to successfully engage with potential investors. Audience Q&A will follow.
Panelists:
Michael Katz | Principal, Actio Corporate Asset Advisers
Tom Lobasso | Executive Vice President, Environmental Liability Transfer
Bill Hoblock | Executive Vice President, Richbell Capital
Bill Teator | KCG Development
Presenting municipalities:
Lockport, presented by Amy Fisk, Senior Planner, Niagara County Economic Development
Amsterdam, presented by John Duchessi, Director, City of Amsterdam AIDA
Lyons Falls, presented by Eric Virkler, Director of Economic Development and Planning, Lewis County, NY
North Tonawanda, presented by Michael Zimmerman, Director of Community Development, City of North Tonawanda

For pictures, please visit our Albany 2018 Facebook album.

Thank you to our Gold and Silver Sponsors:
AKRF, Bousquet Holstein, C&S Companies, Clean Earth, EKI, GEI, GZA, Harris Beach, Knauf Shaw, LaBella Associates, Langan, Skeo, Vita Nuova.

Thank you to our Bronze Sponsors:
Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna LLP, HRP, Bergmann, Stantec, Barton & Loguidice, Mohawk Valley Edge, Alpha Analytical, Elan, Action Corporate Asset Advisors, VEKtor Consultants, HDR, ERM.

Thank you to our Partners:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS Department of State, NYS Economic Development Council , U.S. EPA, Mohawk Valley Edge NY Conference of Mayors, NYC Brownfield Partnership, NYC Office of Environmental Remediation, Brownfield Listings, National Development Council, New York State Assocation of Counties, Capital District Regional Planning Commission

Watch for information on upcoming workshops and webinars and call CCLR for techncial assistance to repurpose distressed properties for community and environmental well-being.