Inspiration Landing/Lady Ensley Coming to Life in Sheffield, AL as part of Brownfield Redevelopment

Located on the southern banks of the Tennessee River sits the city of Sheffield, Alabama. Once a thriving industrial city with multiple lumber, metal, and aluminum manufacturing sites. The EPA awarded $400,000 for cleanup of hazardous substances and petroleum sites within applicable municipal limits and parts of surrounding Carroll County.

The subject property consists of one parcel of 60.65 acres of primarily undeveloped land; however, a former blast furnace, an unpermitted landfill, and a former shooting range were present on the subject project. The blast furnace was in operation from 1988 until 1915. The property known as Inspiration Landing/Lady Ensley had layers of contamination on the property that hindered the developer’s ability to move forward in progressing the land.

Services provided by PM Environmental, a Pinchin company (PM) included a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA), EPA Assessment Grant Application and Site Specific Quality Assurance Project Plan (SSQAPP). Due to unpermitted landfilling activities being performed on the property from the early 1950s until 1971, the potential existed for contamination to be present from buried materials. Also, leachate generated as a result of the percolation of water through waste, as well as landfill gas generated due to decomposition of the waste.

These time periods preceded major environmental regulations and current waste management and disposal procedures. The property has been vacant since 2013 as the EPA awarded the site $400,000 for cleanup of hazardous substances and petroleum sites.

In august of 2021, the project hit a major milestone as it opened the door to its first venue, The Slag, an outdoor concert venue in Sheffield, AL that will bring thousands of people together to share great food, drinks, and music. The property will be utilized as an entertainment hub with a hotel, amphitheater, restaurant, greenspace and more. The development is slated to create roughly 590 direct and indirect jobs.

SERVICES PROVIDED
• Phase I ESA
• Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA)
• EPA Assessment Grant Application
• Site Specific Quality Assurance Project Plan (SSQAPP)

IMPORTANT ASPECTS
• This 60.65-acre property is mostly undeveloped with the exception of a former blast furnace, an unpermitted landfill, and a former shooting range.
• The EPA awarded a $400,000 grant to the city for cleanup of recognized environmental conditions (RECs).
• The land will be redeveloped into an entertainment hub providing hundreds of jobs and much-needed leisure activities.