Episode 12 – The Power of Solar on Brownfield Sites w/ Annika Colston

What do closed landfills, sand and gravel pits, quarries, and formerly-mined coal sites all have in common? They are all candidates for solar development. In this episode of Redevelopment Trailblazers, we speak with Annika Colston, Founder and President of AC Power, the only company of its kind that focuses solely on the development of solar on[…]

Episode 11 – The Economic Transformation of the South Bronx w/ Neil Pariser

The South Bronx has undergone an exciting transformation over the course of many years. In this episode of Redevelopment Trailblazers, we get a first-hand account from Neil Pariser, the former SVP of the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO). Through decades of work in this community, Neil led efforts to create affordable housing and[…]

Episode 10 – What the Brownfields Redevelopment Story Tells Us About the Future of Environmental Policy w/ Mary Ann Grena Manley

EPA’s brownfields program is a policy innovation success story. For decades, the program has empowered communities and other stakeholders to clean up and reuse contaminated sites safely. With increased data transparency, emerging technologies, and unprecedented levels of brownfields funding, the stars are aligned for expanding the redevelopment space. With a background in law, environmental policy[…]

Episode 9 – Recasting Your City w/ Ilana Preuss

What is small-scale manufacturing, and how can it bring Main Streets and downtowns back to life? In this episode of the Redevelopment Institute Podcast, Leslie Parrish interviews Ilana Preuss, Founder and CEO of Recast City, who explains how this dynamic approach to economic development bolsters local businesses and helps communities grow and thrive in an inclusive and[…]

Episode 7 – From Regulator to Developer: A Unique Perspective w/ Colleen Kokas

Colleen Kokas, EVP at Environmental Liability Transfer (ELT), discusses the multi-disciplinary aspects of site remediation in this episode of the Redevelopment Institute Podcast. As a former regulator and brownfields project manager for NJDEP, Colleen discusses the transition to private developer. She talks about projects past and present, and how this still largely male-dominated field continues to evolve. Colleen[…]

Episode 4 – Making Green Construction Possible w/ Jon Williams

Today’s podcast features long-time brownfield redeveloper Jon Williams, who recently founded Viridi Parente, a company that manufactures electric-powered drive systems for construction vehicles and related equipment. Jon discusses his experiences in bringing environmentally-troubled sites back into the economy and his new venture creating greener forms of construction equipment and energy storage. More information on these initiatives[…]

Beyond the Tesla: Resilient Energy Storage and Deployment

Teslas and other electric cars have quickly become popular among consumers who want to reduce their carbon footprint without compromising performance. But what about other types of vehicles and equipment, particularly those made for industrial uses with large diesel-powered engines? And how could greener forms of energy be effectively stored to lower costs and provide[…]

Episode 3 – The Past and Future of Brownfields Redevelopment w/ Barry Hersh

Barry Hersh’s experiences as a leader in brownfields redevelopment are the focus of this episode of the Redevelopment Institute Podcast. In his interview with Leslie Parrish, Barry talks about how he got started in brownfields and the changes in the field in the intervening years. After a discussion of some innovative brownfields projects across the[…]

Episode 2 – Economic Gardening® w/ Chris Gibbons

In this episode of the Redevelopment Institute Podcast, Leslie Parrish interviews Chris Gibbons, founder of the National Center for Economic Gardening. Chris describes this exciting economic development strategy, which can assist local firms with high-growth potential to discover new regional, national, and international markets. He also shares how his organization partners with economic development agencies[…]

Economic Gardening® in Practice: Two Regions’ Experiences

As detailed in a prior post, Economic Gardening® is a strategy that identifies innovative local companies that—with some guidance—have substantial potential. Companies that successfully complete the program can benefit from tools and insights to strategically grow their business on a regional, national, or global scale. This approach to economic development was created by the National[…]