On June 24, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) Secretary Reid Wilson marked the 750th Brownfields site in North Carolina at the Brown School Lofts at Legacy Heights in Winston-Salem. Brownfields sites are properties that have been abandoned or underused due to potential environmental contamination. The DEQ Division of Waste Management’s Brownfields Redevelopment Section aims to reclaim these sites for community benefit.
“The Brownfields program is a shining example of how a cleaner and healthier environment goes hand in hand with economic growth,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “Redeveloping a Brownfields site is a win-win-win for the community. It’s great for the environment, the community’s quality of life and the economy.”
Bruce Nicholson, NCDEQ Division of Waste Management Brownfields Redevelopment Section Chief, commented on reaching this milestone: “I never thought I’d see the day when we had facilitated 750 properties coming back to life. Those 750 properties represent about 15,000 acres and over $30 billion in private investment in safe redevelopment that has netted tens of thousands of jobs. Wins for economic development, the community quality of life, and the environment.”
The historic site was once home to Brown Elementary School, later Woodland Avenue Elementary School for African American students. After closing in 1984, it served as a daycare until a fire in 2016 led to its demolition. Redevelopment began in 2023 with McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc., the City of Winston-Salem Housing Authority, and DEQ Division of Waste Management’s Brownfields Redevelopment Section.
Kevin Chesire, ASPIRE CEO and General Counsel, expressed gratitude: “We’re so honored to have been able to celebrate the 750th brownfields award at our Brown School Lofts development. Partnership is so key to the work we do – and we are so thankful to have partnered with, among others, the City of Winston-Salem and the State of North Carolina to transform an abandoned, underutilized former school site into vibrant, inclusive affordable housing that will continue to serve the community for years to come.”
Brown School Lofts now features a high-density residential apartment complex with market-rate housing comprising 81 units that are fully occupied.
Laura Kinsell-Baer from McCormack Baron Salazar emphasized their commitment: “McCormack Baron recognizes the critical importance of brownfields redevelopment in creating opportunities for healthier living by replacing brownfields with investment in clean, sustainable, and affordable communities.”
For further details on the Brownfields redevelopment program, visit their website.
