Environmental Services for the Puget Sound Expansion
Confidential Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) • Puget Sound Region, WA
Solution Overview
Client:
Confidential REIT
Business Challenge:
- Retail center expansion across the Puget Sound region necessitated extensive environmental site assessment and remediation services
Solution:
- Performed comprehensive due diligence to assess risks and cleanup costs within timeframe of purchase agreements
- Completed the range of land use, site development, and environmental permit and reviews for remediation at multiple sites
- Provided MS4 stormwater compliance and maintenance services required for multiple facilities within a single municipality
Results:
- Planning, design, and remedial action work allowed Sites to be returned to use as retail commercial centers
Challenge
In the mid-2000s, the REIT expanded its footprint in the Puget Sound area through site acquisitions for retail centers across the region requiring extensive due diligence, remediation planning and design, and remedial actions. Challenges included estimating environmental liabilities and cleanup costs during due diligence in order to establish reserves for site remediation, often prior to enrolling in state cleanup programs.
Solution
Apex provided environmental due diligence, including Phase I environmental site assessment (ESA); Phase II ESA planning (access negotiations); Phase II ESA sampling; and remedial cost estimates. Environmental services have included soil, groundwater, and vapor intrusion investigations.
Several of the vapor intrusion investigations were completed within interior spaces of operating businesses. Apex personnel worked with individual tenants to develop sampling schedules that conformed with their needs and implemented the work with little or no disruption to their activities. All work at these properties was completed following Washington Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) rules and guidance; three of the sites were enrolled in the Voluntary Cleanup Program with the remainder to be completed as independent remedial actions.
Of the seven retail center sites requiring remediation, six of the properties are dry cleaner projects that required a combination of excavation, soil vapor extraction, and/or controls. One of the properties is a former Sears Auto Center for which a dual‑phase extraction system was designed and constructed.
Results
Due to Apex’s careful coordination with tenants and successful implementation of planning, design, and remedial action tasks, all seven sites have been returned to use as retail commercial centers while remediation activities continue.