NCDEQ Secretary Reid Wilson celebrates 750th Brownfields site in North Carolina

Brownfields sites are abandoned or underused property where redevelopment has been hindered by the threat of environmental contamination. DEQ Division of Waste Management’s Brownfields Redevelopment Section seeks to reclaim these sites and create a safer environment to the benefit of the surrounding communities.

“The Brownfields program is a shining example of how a cleaner and healthier environment goes hand in hand with economic growth,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “Redeveloping a Brownfields site is a win-win-win for the community. It’s great for the environment, the community’s quality of life and the economy.”

“I never thought I’d see the day when we had facilitated 750 properties coming back to life,” said Bruce Nicholson, NCDEQ Division of Waste Management Brownfields Redevelopment Section Chief. “Those 750 properties represent about 15,000 acres and over $30 billion in private investment in safe redevelopment that has netted tens of thousands of jobs. Wins for economic development, the community quality of life, and the environment.”

This historic site was once home to Brown Elementary School, previously Woodland Avenue Elementary School for African American students. After the school closed in 1984, the site operated as a day care until a major fire in 2016 led to the school’s demolition. In 2023, redevelopment began in cooperation with McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc., the City of Winston-Salem Housing Authority and DEQ Division of Waste Management’s Brownfields Redevelopment Section.  

“We’re so honored to have been able to celebrate the 750th brownfields award at our Brown School Lofts development,” said Kevin Chesire, ASPIRE CEO and General Counsel. “Partnership is so key to the work we do – and we are so thankful to have partnered with, among others, the City of Winston-Salem and the State of North Carolina to transform an abandoned, underutilized former school site into vibrant, inclusive affordable housing that will continue to serve the community for years to come.”

Brown School Lofts is a high-density residential apartment complex with market-rate housing. The complex has 81 units, all of which are currently occupied.

“McCormack Baron recognizes the critical importance of brownfields redevelopment in creating opportunities for healthier living by replacing brownfields with investment in clean, sustainable, and affordable communities,” said Laura Kinsell-Baer, McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc. Vice President of Project Management.

For more information about the Brownfields redevelopment program, visit the program website.