With the help of the Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant, one of the biggest properties the APC looking at is the former Abdalla’s Shopping Center right here in the heart of Opelousas. Kade Jones, a representative with APC, shared his excitement about the grant and the opportunities it will give to the commission.
“We work with the city administration to identify sites that are identified as having a lot of reuse potential, and opportunity to be something great.” Jones said.
The grant provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency helps the planning commission assess, clean up, and safely redevelop vacant properties through a multi-phases process like Abdalla’s to ensure contamination issues don’t present more challenges in the future.
“Sort of like a visual inspection where you’ll walk into a site and identify it looks like there may be some mold and mildew here, some asbestos in these tiles.’ Jones said. “Phase two, come back with actual lab gear and take soil samples. And you take samples of the paint, and you get some actual detailed data on how bad that contamination is or is not.”
Once the assessment is complete, Jones said the APC will also be able to meet with city officials and residents to help plan the future of the historic buildings.
“What would they like to have developed and what would they not like?” Jones said. “So, we’re making sure to keep this an open, transparent process where we’re working with the community, with the property owners and with the city to make sure, you know, things are getting planned. That is actually a community benefit that we’re hearing directly from them.
The assessments will not end at Abdalla’s in Opelousas, as Jones mentioned, there is already plans to assess buildings in Abbeville, Eunice and Ville Platte to begin the revitalization process.
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