Land Remediation and Development Branch Voluntary Cleanup Program
Petra Development • Washington, DC
Solution Overview
Client:
Petra Development
Business Challenge:
- Redevelopment and remediation of five vacant businesses and associated land formerly consisting of retail and industrial use, in an underutilized and historically neglected block of northwest Washington, DC.
Solution:
- Following enrollment into the Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE) voluntary cleanup program (VCP), a corrective action plan (CAP) was approved by DOEE in December 2019.
Results:
- Apex completed all remedial activities required to bring the site back into productive use and the project was awarded “Certificate of Completion” status by the DOEE Land Remediation and Development Branch.
- The Soapstone redevelopment project has contributed to revitalizing a formerly underutilized land to create safe neighborhoods while increasing the city’s tax revenue base.
Challenge
The client acquired the underutilized and contaminated property for redevelopment. The redevelopment consisted of remediating and replacing five vacant retail spaces with the newly constructed apartment building known as The Soapstone, intended to serve as a gateway project at the Missouri Avenue—Georgia Avenue Crossroads. The project anchored the transformation of an important, yet historically neglected block. Remediation of contaminated materials at the site was conducted by property developer Petra Development, who enrolled the site in the District of Columbia DOEE Land Remediation and Development Branch VCP in August 2019. Since 2001, the VCP has helped developers to safely remediate contaminated properties other than those impacted with petroleum hydrocarbons, allowing for future beneficial use.
Solution
Apex completed environmental assessments at the site from 2018 through 2020 to better evaluate subsurface conditions in support of future redevelopment activities. Our work included performing Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments (ESAs), a comprehensive site assessment (CSA) to delineate the extent of soil and groundwater contamination, long‑term monitoring of groundwater from the onsite wells, and building hazardous material survey. Apex prepared the CAP which was approved by DOEE in December 2019 for implementation. The VCP CAP proposed large-scale excavation and off-site disposal of all impacted site soils, pump and treat of residual contaminated groundwater, if encountered, and installation of vapor intrusion mitigation system (VIMS) in the new building.
Results
As of October 2021, Apex had completed all remedial activities required to bring the site back into productive use, including removal of all known underground storage tanks (USTs). Confirmation sampling of soil and groundwater verified that the property is safe for all potential future uses, including its planned residential use as The Soapstone apartment complex. As a result of this successful VCP remediation project, residually contaminated soil and groundwater at the site no longer present a risk to human health and the environment.
The project was awarded “Certificate of Completion” status by the DOEE Land Remediation and Development Branch on February 3, 2022. The Soapstone is a modern six-story apartment building comprised of 49 residential units and is currently nearing completion. The project includes green roofs, a bioretention facility, and a permeable pavement system.