Site Investigation and Remediation Case Study:
Brownfields Conversion

CASE: Brownfields Conversion

LOCATION: Little Falls, NJ

OBJECTIVE: Conversion of mill to residential use under time pressures
STRATEGY: At risk remediation, scheduled around development

RESULTS: + 300 condominiums & $30 million added to tax rolls

Operated since the 1700’s, this Little Falls, New Jersey, carpet mill was the longest operating carpet mill in the United States until its bankruptcy in 1982. The facility covered 13½ acres and included 31 historic buildings. Its location along the Passaic River and the presence of architecturally interesting historic structures made the property extremely valuable for residential development. However, the environmental impacts resulting from the past industrial use of the property needed to be addressed.

First Environment and the developer decided on a strategy to perform investigation and remediation at risk and to schedule these activities around site development. This left no room for error in interpreting the requirements of the NJDEP. Further complicating the issue, alternate risk-based cleanup levels had to be negotiated with the regulatory agency to make the project feasible. The project included the characterization of soil, groundwater and surface water, asbestos abatement, lead remediation, disposal of 650 drums of unknown chemicals, underground storage tank removals, indoor air monitoring and wetlands delineation. Upon completion, the once abandoned carpet mill was transformed into a highly desirable housing complex.

Before

After