City of Lake Charles, Louisiana

Funds from the Brownfields Petroleum Assessment Grant were used to assist local developer and property owner, Keith DuRousseau/Keiland LLC, conduct a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment prior to constructing a 4000 square foot office building on Broad Street within the Charpentier Historical District.

This is the first new business construction in the Charpentier Historical District on Broad Street in decades. The Keiland building was designed by Tony Bourgeois LLC, a Professional Design Studio, to compliment the homes and businesses within the Charpentier Historical District, blending the past with the present within the revitalization of downtown Lake Charles. The previously abandoned parking lot is now giving way to the new office building planned for completion this year.

Working closely with the City of Lake Charles Planning and Development Division, Doug Burguieres, and Brownfields Program Manager, Ron Fossett, Mr. DeRousseau is the first developer to enroll in the City of Lake Charles Brownfields Program and have his property listed as a Brownfields site. The Phase II Environmental Site Assessment for his building construction site began in October and was completed on November 15, 2007.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative was created to empower states, federally recognized Indian tribes, local governments, communities, and other stake­holders involved in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, and safely cleanup brownfields in order to facilitate their sustainable reuse. As part of this Initiative, EPA awarded the City of Lake Charles a $200,000 Brownfields Petroleum Assessment Grant in October of 2007.

EPA defines brownfields as "abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is compli­cated by real or per­ceived environmental contamination." The goal of the Brownfields Program is to encourage revitalization and reutilization of the nation's urban brownfields.

There are many ways to assist developers looking for commercial properties or redevelopment opportunities. Any organization interested in brownfields redevelopment or neighborhood that has been affected by abandoned, blighted, or underutilized commercial properties, can call the City of Lake Charles Brownfields Program at (337) 491-1542 or email at brownfields@cityoflc.us for more information.