Former California nursery destined for housing project

A coalition of city, state and federal agencies are forming a partnership with private developers in Northern California to develop three former flower nurseries into a new housing development and open-space area. The project will create about 300 “green jobs” in construction and remediation in the San Francisco Bay area, according to the announcement.  

The Miraflores project, located in Richmond, Calif., will include affordable senior apartments and new market-rate single-family homes. The open space will include creek restoration, an urban forest of trees and the preservation of historic structures, including greenhouses and homes dating back to the early 1900s.

Before construction begins, the site will require cleanup and revitalization of the Miraflores site, which is contaminated with pesticides and other chemicals like lead, benzene and perchloroethylene (PCE, a solvent). The U.S. EPA awarded the Richmond Community Redevelopment Agency three grants totaling $600,000 in 2006. The State of California’s Pollution Control Finance Agency also awarded $2.6 million to clean up the property, which is expected to be completed by the fall of 2011. It is anticipated that residents will move into the new housing community in 2014.

The state’s Strategic Growth Council (SGC) awarded a $1.66 million grant for the urban greening aspect of the project. More information about the partners involved can be found by clicking here.