Memphis & Pearl Project Secures Over Two Million in State Brownfields Remediation Dollars
The Memphis & Pearl Project has been years in the making, and we are excited to continue our efforts to revitalize the center of the neighborhood.
OBCDC has been engaged at the corner of Memphis and Pearl for more than four years, working on development plans that encompass 80 units of market-rate housing, over 20,000 square feet of commercial space, and the adaptive reuse of the former St. Luke’s sanctuary building. After issuing a Request for Proposals, OBCDC chose Desmone as the project's developer and architect. The development team consists of OBCDC, Desmone, Tipping Point (who is leading the financing efforts), and Pearl Road United Methodist Church (a neighboring property owner).
In early August 2024, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Development announced $106.9 million dollars in grants for local communities as part of the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program. Grants were awarded to seven projects in Cuyahoga County, seeing over $44.3 million dollars of investment coming to the region. OBCDC received $2,042,027 of Ohio Brownfield Remediation grant dollars to support its Memphis & Pearl project in the heart of the neighborhood.
The EPA defines a brownfield as a property where the potential for redevelopment or reuse could be complicated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. In the U.S., there are more than 450,000 brownfields. Many of the environmental issues at the Memphis & Pearl site consist of building materials like lead and asbestos. Addressing and revitalizing these sites not only helps the environment but also boosts local tax revenues, fosters job creation, and makes productive use of existing infrastructure.
As the design process continues, the development team will use these crucial funds to address hazardous material remediation, including the removal of asbestos and lead, and to demolish certain structures for adaptive reuse. The team plans to preserve the site’s architectural heritage, ensuring the buildings are safe and reusing valuable components of the overall project, which will also feature new construction.
OBCDC Executive Director Lucas Reeve expressed excitement about the latest grant award. “The Memphis & Pearl project is a marvelous example of a public & private partnership to help stabilize and promote future investment in a community,” Lucas says, “Not only are we adding critically needed housing and commercial space along a transit-oriented corridor, but we will be restoring life to our Main Street for decades to come.”
To date, OBCDC has done a significant amount of community engagement for the project, meeting with and getting feedback from hundreds of residents across the neighborhood. As the final designs come into focus, the organization will again engage with community members to ensure the development is on track to meet their needs. Stay tuned!