LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A million dollars is going toward cleaning up contaminated properties in Louisville.
The city received the money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It will go into the city's Brownfield Cleanup Revolving Fund.
The money allows the city to offer below-market rate loans to developers and property owners to help them clean up brownfield properties. That term refers to land that was abandoned due to pollution from industrial use.
City leaders said there are more than 140 brownfield properties in Louisville, and it is focused on the Park Hill Industrial Corridor.
The donation comes as brownfield site cleanup will begin at the Louisville Gardens downtown on June 5, using money the Louisville fund already had. It's the next step in the historic building's redevelopment into a soundstage for movies and music.
Metro Government contracted Tetra Tech Inc. to do the work, which is expected to start in 2024. It will cost $1.3 million and is expected to take about nine months to complete.
"One of the best ways we can grow our economy and create more good-paying jobs is ensuring that our city is ready when opportunities present themselves," Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a news release Thursday. "A project like the renovation of the Louisville Gardens could be a game-changer for our community, and I'm excited we're moving forward (with) ensuring this site is ready for further investment and, hopefully, it's next phase."
The work includes cleanup of lead dust, asbestos-containing material and removal of suspected lead-based paint.
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