Redevelopment, Commerce and PECFA

Since the introduction of the State of Wisconsin's Brownfield's program, hundreds of blighted properties have been cleaned up and subsequently redeveloped, placing these once tax-delinquent properties back onto state and local tax rolls. Over the last five years, legislation has expanded Brownfield's redevelopment capacity to provide grant funds for not only tax-delinquent or abandoned properties, but also provide funds for simply idle or underused contaminated properties.

Prior to the creation of the Brownfield program, another state program was implemented that continues to provide funds to assist in the redevelopment of contaminated properties, regardless if the property is occupied, tax delinquent, abandoned, idle or underused. The program is known as the Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award (PECFA).

PECFA was created in response to federal regulations requiring release prevention from petroleum storage tanks and cleanup of existing contamination from those tanks. Although not a Brownfield's program, many cleanups that PECFA has funded allowed for the properties to be redeveloped. These redeveloped properties have created jobs, increased state and local tax bases, or expanded green spaces. A property in the Village of Oakdale is one example of how PECFA assisted in redevelopment directly relating to the creation of commerce in the area.

Located in the west central region of the state, the Village of Oakdale is situated on the cusp of Interstate Highways 90/94. These two major interstate highway arteries divide just north of Oakdale, serving the north and western areas of the state. Because of its location along the interstate, the village has a history of supporting large travel plazas. One of the many travel plazas in this area was the former, Stockmen's East.

Originally built in 1968, Stockmen's East operated as a large travel plaza and restaurant until bank foreclosure in 1992, at which time the petroleum systems were dismantled and removed. Following removal of the systems, it was determined that substantial petroleum releases had occurred, and utilizing PECFA funding, a large scale cleanup took place at the site.

The property remained vacant from 1992 till 2007, when the Bureau of PECFA was contacted by Love's Travel Shop Inc. (Love's) regarding the status of cleanup activities and potential purchase of the property to develop a large scale travel plaza. Known for large scale travel plazas in both the south and western United States, Love's has begun to expand to the Midwest. Love's chose to re-develop the former Stockmen's East property as part of their Midwest expansion. Because of the substantial contamination and the planned location of the new underground tank systems, PECFA worked in conjunction with Love's and its contractors to facilitate cleanup while taking into consideration the travel plaza design.

The PECFA program provided more than $650,000.00 in funding to define and remediate petroleum contamination on the property. Following cleanup activities, Love's invested over $5 million to develop the property into their newest travel plaza, employing over 50 people at the 24-hour travel plaza and restaurant.

-- Brian Taylor