Waste Site Cleanup & Reuse in New England
The WWLP-22 Television Station
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This Success Story was completed before the signing of the 2002 Brownfields Legislation. The Assessment Demonstration Pilot Program is now called the Assessment Grant Program. |
Success in the Brownfields Assessment Demonstration
Pilot Program
Chicopee, Massachusetts
Contacts
Before Revitalization
The Conway Bedding Factory.
Under Construction
Removing an Underground Storage Tank.
After Revitalization
WWLP-22 Channel 22 Television Station.
This 8.5-acre site was formerly home to both the Conway Bedding factory and the Hallahan lumber yard. The Conway property was used for light assembly, manufacturing, and warehousing for 39 years. The site contained several above-ground storage containers and had asbestos contamination. The Hallahan site was used for a car dealer, public storage, furniture stripping, and a lumber yard. The lumber company was built in 1925, and a fire destroyed one building at the site in 1990. The site also contained underground storage tanks.
The City of Chicopee took title to both properties in 1996 for delinquent taxes and begun efforts to redevelop the site. The City used funds from its EPA Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilot to complete a site assessment. This assessment led to the excavation of a 6,600 gallon storage tank, removal of five electrical transformers, and removal of asbestos and other hazardous materials from the 52,871 square-foot building. The building was later demolished.
The redeveloped site was sold to WWLP-22, Channel 22 for $250,000 in 1998. Channel 22 invested approximately $2 million to build a two-story, 1,600 square-foot news studio; a two-story, 4,800 square-foot production studio; and offices for news, weather, and sports reporters. Construction plans also included a 6,000 square-foot garage for news vehicles, a 1,200 square-foot courtyard, and a 25-foot television transmitting/receiving antenna.