Pennsylvania brownfields ready to be redeveloped will be showcased during a nationwide conference set to take place in Philadelphia next month.
About 6,500 people are expected to come to the Brownfields 2011 conference, which focuses on redeveloping and revitalizing unused industrial sites. It draws real estate developers, planners and construction firms, among others. One new feature this year is a forum in which government officials and property owners from across the country will discuss specific properties available for redevelopment, along with public- and private-sector programs to provide help with cleanup and rebuilding. The idea is to connect brownfield owners and prospective buyers, says Grant Sparks, assistant project manager at the International City/County Management Association, which is co-sponsoring the conference. Each state will have its own booth.
Organizers chose to have this year’s event in Philadelphia because they want to have it in a different region every year, and now it’s the East Coast’s turn. However, Sparks says this also means Pennsylvania will have a centrally located booth at the event.
Those who attend the conference will also be able to attend more than 130 educational sessions on topics such as renewable energy and green jobs.
Source: Grant Sparks, International City/County Management Association
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen