www.MannikSmithGroup.com

Project Description The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc. (MSG) worked closely with both the City of Toledo and the UpTown Association, Inc. to revitalize a 2.5-acre portion of Toledo’s Uptown neighborhood. We developed the project idea with the understanding that there was a real community desire to address blight in the UpTown neighborhood and knowing that a then new funding source would be available to help make the dream of a local park a reality. With a long history of commercial and industrial use and three dilapidated buildings containing significant quantities of friable asbestos, the blighted property, except for the ongoing crime it attracted, sat idle for several years. Using funding from US EPA, MSG completed ASTM and VAP-compliant Phase I and Phase II assessments of the property, a Remedial Action Plan, and, at the request of UpTown Association, prepared a successful Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund (CORF) Round 11 Sustainable Reinvestment Pilot Track grant application to develop an urban park that bears the artistic neighborhood’s signature for creativity. The City of Toledo was awarded a $1.5 million grant for cleanup, demolition, and redevelopment of the property into a community park with sustainable stormwater management features including a cistern to harvest rooftop water, a rain garden, a Monarch Way Station, and native vegetation. MSG helped the City take the property through Ohio’s Voluntary Action Program (VAP) to receive a Covenant Not to Sue as an indication of successful environmental remediation. Before park development was even complete, the area’s largest employer, ProMedica, acquired the building to redevelop it into a neighborhood fresh food market. ProMedica agreed with the City to maintain the park, which will remain open to the public.

Client / Contact: The City of Toledo UpTown Association, Inc. Services Provided: ASTM & VAP-Compliant Phase I and Phase II

Environmental Site Assessments Remedial Action Plan Property Survey Successful CORF Sustainable Reinvestment

Pilot Track Grant Application Park design Remediation, demolition, and construction

oversight

UpTown Green Signature Park Toledo, Ohio

AL-U120-OH11-001

Round 11 Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund Grant Sustainable Reinvestment Track

Proposed UpTown Signature Park

Attachment A1-1

Attachment A1 Application Summary Document

1. Goals of the Project The City of Toledo is requesting $1.5 million under the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund (CORF) grant Sustainable Reinvestment Pilot track in the Signature Park category. Our grant request is to help fund cleanup, demolition and infrastructure improvement activities at a 2.4-acre property in the heart of our city’s UpTown neighborhood. Spearheaded by our project partner, the UpTown Association, Inc., this project will transform a contaminated and abandoned property that has, for years, attracted crime and further decay. Comprised of 15 contiguous parcels, the first recorded use of the property was residential and dates back to the late 1800s when stately mansions were part of UpTown’s landscape. By the 1920s several commercial and industrial buildings were added and used for varied purposes over the years including furniture repair, gasoline filling, automotive repair, chemical analyses and office activities. Today, a four-story building with a handsome stone and brick façade indicative of pre-Depression era craftsmanship, remains, as do two others that are in severe disrepair and are hotbeds for criminal activity. All three buildings contain significant quantities of regulated asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). Since early 2011, we have been working closely with UpTown Association to plan a public park that bears the UpTown neighborhood’s signature as a haven for creative enterprise and community events. In an effort to assist our project team with the revitalization of this sizable brownfield property in central UpTown, the Lucas County Land Bank recently acquired all 15 project property parcels from two holding companies that had been unsuccessful in leasing or selling the blighted properties. The land bank has since donated the entire project property to the City of Toledo. Plans for the site include removal of the ACMs that currently pose a risk to human health and safety. A successful CORF award will help our project team accomplish this important cleanup goal as well as upgrade utilities to the property and demolish the two buildings that cannot, practically and cost effectively, be renovated. As part of our project team’s commitment to sustainability, we plan to dismantle the two deteriorated buildings prior to demolition and reuse bulk materials at the site. The proposed park will feature a rain garden and bioswale for sustainable stormwater management, solar energy, native (low maintenance) plantings, an outdoor amphitheater, amenities for children to play and create, pathways and sculpture pads and kiosks for vendors. The park will be anchored by an historic building, at 311 18th Street, that uses alternative sustainable energy including solar and possibly geothermal heating. The building will provide space for local artists, performers, and organizations for creative and community endeavors.

Local, regional, state and national support for this exciting project continues to mount as the Proposed UpTown Signature Park is perceived widely as a necessary and powerful catalyst to: rejuvenate a very visible brownfield; demonstrate the value of sustainable initiatives; and, buoy the momentum of revitalization in the portion of Toledo’s central business district known as UpTown. 2. Benefits of the Brownfield Project Economic Benefit: We believe this project is a perfect fit for the CORF Sustainable Reinvestment Track. Understanding that local businesses will prosper from the conversion of idle, derelict property that currently punctuates their neighborhood, UpTown Association

Situated between the Toledo Museum of Art and the Warehouse District Art Zone, the UpTown neighborhood is widely recognized as Toledo’s up-and-coming creative enterprise community.

Round 11 Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund Grant Sustainable Reinvestment Track

Proposed UpTown Signature Park

Attachment A1-2

A 2009 study by Bowling Green State University’s Center for Regional Development found that arts

and culture industries generate over $2.4 billion in economic activity in Northwest Ohio every year,

resulting in nearly $250 million in federal, state and local tax revenues and over 33,000 jobs.

The Proposed UpTown Signature Park, which includes commercial space for creative enterprise, will fill a void for artists and artisans located in this

innovative and eclectic community.

has dreamed for years but lacked the resources to convert a brownfield to public green space. The Proposed UpTown Signature Park has attracted enthusiastic support from local business owners because it will revitalize a prominent UpTown brownfield and prompt a reinvestment in properties nearby. The University of Toledo (UT), an Ohio Hub of Innovation and Opportunity (O.H.I.O.) Anchor Institution, operates the Wright Center for Photovoltaics and Commercialization (PVIC), which believes that the installation of solar power at the project property will provide important research and development opportunities aligned with the core

assets and strengths the PVIC program. The initial solar investment at the property is conservatively estimated to be at least $115,000. Progress made at this site is expected to contribute to the region’s stance as a preeminent solar capital worldwide – currently, the Toledo area is recognized as one of six solar capitals in the world. The average energy production of the proposed solar array has been conservatively estimated at 33,600 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. Energy production on this scale reduces CO2 output by nearly 25 metric tons annually. Construction of a bioswale and rain garden on the property will provide sustainable stormwater management at a site that has been almost entirely paved and impervious for decades. Economically and

environmentally sustainable stormwater management will also include capturing roof water run-off from the building into a cistern and then released over time, feeding the bioswale and rain garden. Northwest Ohio’s economy has been devastated by a multi-decade trend of job losses and diminished tax revenue exacerbated by the recent recession. UpTown itself has struggled with pockets of severe urban blight for nearly three decades. The proposed park will prompt a powerful economic ripple effect by: improving the local business climate and the quality of life for residents and nearby employees; helping to invite a talented workforce of independent artists and performers and others; and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. A $1.5 million CORF grant for this redevelopment project will leverage at least another $1.5 million in investment from private and public entities including $500,000 in matching funds and an estimated $1 million to renovate the historic four-story building. Community Benefit: The Proposed UpTown Signature Park is an ideal fit with the UpTown Association Strategic Neighborhood Plan, which prioritizes the creation of a centrally located village square and with the plan for an urban village that will soon be incorporated into the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission’s Toledo 20/20 Comprehensive Plan. The proposed park will at once create much needed green space in an otherwise almost exclusively hardscaped neighborhood and provide a location for various creative entrepreneurs to mingle and collaborate. The park will unify the neighborhood by inviting the public and creative entrepreneurs to this unique space. Indeed, artists have the ability to see beauty in decay and to then create a sense of place with limited resources. This phenomenon has been the force behind the creative endeavors that have earned UpTown its reputation as an artistic community and it will help shape the investment in and success of this park. A $1.5 million CORF grant for this project will provide the resources to remove the hazards that currently threaten human health and safety on a sizeable urban property – a property that could be an important public asset. Once the asbestos is removed from the three onsite buildings, the interior of the historic 311 18th Street building will be renovated to include first floor space that is open and flexible and that can be used by area organizations such as Mercy Health Partners, the University of Toledo, Toledo School for the Arts, Glacity Theater Collective and others; event space is not currently available in the vicinity. The building’s upper floors will retain compartmentalized

Cultural facilities and events enhance property values, tax resources and

overall profitability for communities. In doing so, the arts become a direct contributor to urban and

rural revitalization. ~ National Governor’s Association

Round 11 Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund Grant Sustainable Reinvestment Track

Proposed UpTown Signature Park

Attachment A1-3

While the building’s flexible first floor space will be open and able to suit versatile needs, it is the people the park will attract that will be its most

significant resource. As urban theorist Richard Florida states, “access to talented and creative people is to

modern business what access to coal and iron ore was to steelmaking.”

spaces for future use as offices, artist studios, recording studios, rehearsal space and other creative venues. Even the building’s exterior will contribute to the appeal and purpose of the park, as the western exterior wall is envisioned as an outdoor movie screen. U.S Census data for Tract 27, where the project property is located, indicate that 38.3% of individuals live below the poverty level. For comparison, approximately 17.9% of Toledo residents and 13.9% of Lucas County residents live below the poverty level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau; in 2009 Lucas County was tied for having the third highest number of residents living below poverty in all of Ohio. The proposed park will be accessible from sidewalks along 18th and 20th Streets and Madison Avenue – one of UpTown’s primary corridors and a bicycle lane network connector. A small staircase will provide access from Laburnum Alley along the northeast. The site is serviced by five separate Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) public transit routes. We believe ample street parking is available in the area, but our project team is already considering an invitation to use off-street parking at adjacent locations with existing paved lots. Onsite walkways and trails will be constructed, in part, with reused materials from the dismantling of the two derelict buildings. A portion of these trails will conform to the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A rooftop solar array is being planned for the 311 18th Street building to maximize park green space on the ground. Accounting for the building footprint, over 93% of the project property will be dedicated to outdoor public park space. The City of Toledo and UpTown Association are committed to maintaining at least 80% of the property as public and/or green space long term – for at least ten years following project completion, pursuant to a City of Toledo ordinance. Most of the building’s 26,800 square feet will be dedicated to commercial use. At least 23 Basic Services, including a mixture of commercial establishments and community services, are located within 0.25 mile of the project property. Environmental Improvements and Benefits: Cleanup Benefits and Sustainability: Phase I and II Environmental Property Assessments that conform to both the Ohio Voluntary Action Program (VAP) and the federal All Appropriate Inquiry requirements have been completed to document the environmental condition of the property. These assessments concluded that no soil or groundwater remedial action is necessary to maintain compliance with the VAP’s most protective land use standards. No indications of releases to off-site locations were identified as part of the comprehensive assessments. However, friable ACMs were observed throughout all three of the onsite buildings. A Remedial Action Plan for the property has been completed to identify the necessary activities required to remove the health and safety risk from the confirmed ACMs. CORF funding will be used to remediate ACMs from the buildings and to complete demolition of above and below-grade structures hindering redevelopment for sustainable public green space. Dedicated to sustainable cleanup practices, the project team plans to use dismantled brick to construct pathways through the proposed park and to use crushed concrete, asphalt and excess brick or block as clean hard fill on the property. We will also enforce sustainable practices by our remediation contractors, including the requirement to use low-sulfur diesel fuel, imposing idling restrictions on construction equipment and employing sustainable energy sources as applicable on remediation systems. A VAP Certified Professional will oversee the cleanup activities and prepare a No Further Action (NFA) Letter for submission to the Ohio EPA once cleanup activities are complete. Sustainable Reinvestment Benefits: In addition to the solar array planned for the site, the project property will use a bioswale and rain garden to manage and improve stormwater at the historically impervious site. This alone is a tremendous benefit to reducing run-off, increasing infiltration and improving water quality. The development of the site will follow the principles of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program for New Construction. Materials for the building will be sustainable, focusing on those that can be obtained locally.

Round 11 Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund Grant Sustainable Reinvestment Track

Proposed UpTown Signature Park

Attachment A1-4

A pedestrian gateway and small sales kiosks will be located near the eastern corner of the proposed park, forming one side of a possible outdoor café and seating area. A centrally located outdoor amphitheatre will provide seating for viewing summer movies, projected on the wall of the 311 18th Street building. A stage will anchor the center of the amphitheatre, affording the opportunity for seasonal theatre events, music, dance and impromptu performances. When not a stage, the same area will be an interactive water feature. Water for the site will be provided by the City of Toledo. Electricity will be provided in part by the solar array, with back-up by Toledo Edison. Natural gas will be provided by Columbia Gas. Geothermal heating is currently being considered as a supplemental heating source to further reduce the building’s carbon footprint. Roof run-off will be captured in a cistern and released over time, feeding the bioswale and rain garden. An overflow connection to the City’s storm sewer system will prevent park flooding. Onsite run-off will be minimized by returning asphalt to pervious areas and draining hardscape areas to the bio-swale and rain garden. Additional stormwater will be cleansed and detained using Best Management Practices (BMPs) that meet both federal and state guidelines. Native plants, known for their adaptability and propensity to reduce maintenance will be the backbone of all planting in the proposed signature park. 3. Project Funding Sources The match dollars to be used for the project total $500,000, 25% of the total project costs. The match includes: $40,630 in environmental assessment activities including the Phase I and II Assessments and Remedial Action Plan and survey; $209,367 from the City of Toledo in environmental cleanup and demolition activities from a U.S. EPA brownfield assessment grant and repaid funds originally awarded to the City as part of its U.S. EPA Brownfield Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund grant; and, $100,000 from the City of Toledo Department of Neighborhoods; $100,000 from Mercy College; $35,000 from UpTown Association; and $15,000 from Toledo Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) for infrastructure improvements. 4. History of the Project Property The project property has served diverse purposes since its development in the late 1800s; several residences and associated horse stables were located on the property in 1888, which is the earliest documented property use. Commercial development began to intersperse the residences as early as 1921 with the addition of a gasoline filling station and, in 1925, a furniture repair business in the existing 311 18th Street building and, by 1931 with the addition of a chemical laboratory and an automotive repair shop. Furniture repair continued at the 311 18th Street building at least into the 1950s and possibly later until the building, which was originally known as the Bennett Building, was renovated for office space. The two onsite buildings currently proposed for demolition as part of the proposed park were constructed circa 1940 and have been used primarily for office and sales activities. The buildings located at 311 and 321 18th Street were both abandoned in 2005; the third building was abandoned in 1998. All three have attracted ongoing vandalism and theft. With assistance from the Lucas County Land Bank, the City of Toledo recently acquired the entire project property by donation. The City of Toledo is excited to be working with a project team dedicated to revitalizing such a sizable and strategically located brownfield in the UpTown portion of Toledo’s central business district. 5. Project’s Readiness to Proceed Removing the known hazards and derelict structures from this property will eliminate what we believe to be the only current impediment to restoring it to productive use. This versatile property, once unencumbered by detrimental environmental conditions, will improve the existing local business climate, attract new business, reduce crime, enhance the quality of life for local residents and promote creativity and entrepreneurship. Because the City of Toledo already owns the property, we envision a very streamlined remediation project free of potential access issues and delays. Specifications for remedial activities will be in place by the time the cooperative agreement is ready to be signed by the City of Toledo and permits will be secured, so that cleanup activities could begin immediately following execution of the agreement. We anticipate that cleanup activities will be complete by mid-2013 and site development activities will be complete in spring 2014.