Gulf Coast Housing Partnership has been selected to receive a $3,491,144 Brownfields Cleanup Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This funding—made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—will support the environmental cleanup of the former Benjamin Banneker Elementary School site located at 701 S. Upland Avenue in River Ridge, Louisiana.
The site, which operated as an elementary school from 1967 to 1982 and later as a police substation and training facility, has been vacant since 2008. In 2022, all structures were demolished. However, environmental testing confirmed the presence of chloroform and naphthalene in soil vapor, making remediation necessary before redevelopment can move forward.
This grant is a significant milestone in our long-term efforts to revitalize underutilized properties and prepare them for safe and sustainable redevelopment. In addition to site remediation, the grant will fund community engagement efforts to ensure local voices are included throughout the cleanup process.
We’re grateful to the EPA Region 6 Brownfields Team for their partnership and support, and to our internal team members whose work helped secure this grant.
To view the full EPA press release, click here