Brownfield Redevelopment

Background

The former Eloise Psychiatric Hospital Complex historically covered over 900 acres and was developed with numerous buildings and structures, including a psychiatric hospital and mental health facility, which was initially developed around 1839, and continually expanded through the 1930s. Currently, the complex is comprised of five parcels totaling approximately 16 acres and operates as a haunted attraction, hosts historical tours, and has a homeless shelter building on-site.

The Challenge

ERG was hired by the site owner to complete due diligence activities including a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), a Baseline Environmental Assessment (BEA), and Due Care documentation plans for the owner based on several various sources of impact at the property. One particular concern at the site was an area of petroleum-impacted soil adjacent to the homeless shelter building. The impact was caused by releases of petroleum from underground storage tanks (USTs) in the 1990s. Due to the releases, petroleum-related constituents were at the property at concentrations exceeding Part 213 Risk-Based Screening Levels (RBSLs). In order to safely redevelop the property, excavation of these impacted soils was vital to remove the potential petroleum-related vapor source from the site.

ERG’s Solution

To address the petroleum-impacted soils at the property, ERG prepared, on the behalf of the City of Westland, an application for an EGLE Refined Petroleum Fund (RPF) Grant to help cover the costs of the redevelopment of the property, including the excavation of petroleum-impacted soils. In May 2022, a $470,000 grant was awarded to the City of Westland to help cover costs of impacted soil removal, transportation and disposal, post-excavation sampling, backfilling and restoration, and consultant oversight and reporting. Following the grant award, ERG prepared a Work Plan detailing the eligible activities to take place at the site. These eligible activities included soil excavation, loading, transport and disposal; dewatering; soil verification sampling and lab analysis; underground tunnel removal; site restoration; project management; etc. Following Work Plan approval, ERG and their hired subcontractor began the on-site field work activities in July 2023.

Client Results

A total of 1,601.43 tons of contaminated soil were removed, transported, and properly disposed of at a local licensed landfill in July 2023. During the excavation activities, ERG collected a total of 52 Verification of Soil Remediation (VSR) soil samples using biased sampling techniques. Based on review of the laboratory analytical results, the excavation activities addressed the vapor intrusion risk for the on-site homeless shelter building. No contaminants were identified exceeding EGLE Part 213 RBSLs in any of the excavation samples collected for complete exposure pathways in the area; therefore, there is no current exposure risk related to contamination from the former leaking USTs.

 SERVICES PROVIDED

Real Estate Assessments and Due Diligence
Soil, Groundwater, and Soil Gas Sampling
Brownfield Grant Procurement and Execution
Due Care Consulting