Office Of Environmental Remediation Announces 165 Acres Of Cleaned Land Resulting In 28,000 New Housing Units

The New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) recently announced that it has successfully cleaned 165 acres of contaminated land across the city since the start of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. The remediated land has been redeveloped into various new uses, including 28,000 units of housing (12,000 of which are affordable), 16 new schools, 2.9 million square feet of community space, and 6.1 million square feet of commercial space.

Established in 2008 as part of New York City’s PlaNYC sustainability plan, OER designs and operates municipal programs to promote the cleanup and redevelopment of vacant contaminated land. Nearly 70 percent of OER’s projects are located in environmental justice areas. Upon completion of the cleanups, projects are eligible for a Green Property Plaque, indicating that the site’s successful cleanup protects public health and the environment, and the building is safe for occupancy.

Rendering of Mount Hope Walton Apartments At 1761 Walton Avenue, an affordable housing project resulting in remediation efforts from the Office of Environmental Remediation – via via NYC Housing Connect

Notable recent projects include the Mt. Hope Walton Apartments in The Bronx, a 14-story building with 103 affordable units and a 9,900-square-foot community gymnasium; the Rheingold Affordable Senior Residences in Williamsburg, an eight-story, 93-unit supportive housing development for seniors; the Tommie L. Agee Educational Campus in East Elmhurst, a 646-seat school serving students from grades six through eight; and 1169 River Avenue in The Bronx, one of the city’s largest supportive housing developments with 245 affordable units for formerly homeless individuals and families.

“Kudos to the Office of Environmental Remediation on the monumental achievement of completing their 1000th cleanup project,” said Ezgi Karayel, president, NYC Brownfield Partnership. “As a steadfast partner to the NYC Brownfield Partnership, the OER team has been instrumental in advocating for the cleanup and revitalization of our city. The Clean Soil Bank, as the only municipally operated program of its kind, is a testament to OER’s innovative approach to supporting sustainable development. On behalf of the NYC Brownfield Partnership, we thank you for your dedication to building a more resilient New York City.”

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