Our Projects

Northeast Mixed-Use Commercial District

The Northeast Mixed-Use Commercial District includes approximately 115 acres  of vacant industrial land (90 acres of it owned by the City of Blue Island) at 119th/Vincennes with excellent access to I-57 and freight railroads.

Redevelopment plans for the site include a retail development on the north portion of the site with an eco-industrial park to the south. The retail development will further establish 119th/I-57 as a commercial corridor by enhancing the shopping center currently under construction across the street in Chicago; the industrial park will capitalize on its proximity to I-57, existing rail access, and its adjacency to a small intermodal facility located just to the south.

The NEMUD was identified as priority site in the City’s 2005 adopted Blue Island Plan for Economic Development. Redevelopment efforts began in 2006 when Blue Island received an IEPA Municipal Brownfields Redevelopment grant. Since that time, the City has worked closely with IEPA and environmental consultants, V3 Companies, to complete Phase I & II Assessments.

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Redevelopment Areas (2007 USEPA Assessment Grant)

$200,000 hazardous substances grant funds are being used to develop a city-wide brownfields inventory and to prioritize sites in areas targeted for Transit-Oriented Development. Grant funds have been used to conduct Phase I and II environmental site assessments.  Please visit the USEPA Brownfields website or download the Brownfields 2007 Grant Fact Sheet for Blue Island for more details on this award. Activities associated with the 2007 award are underway now and will continue through Fall 2010.

Cargo-Oriented Development (COD) Redevelopment Areas (2008 USEPA Assessment Grant)

Hazardous substances grant funds are being used to conduct a brownfields inventory and prioritize sites in the South and West Cargo-Oriented Development Areas. Grant funds also will be used to perform up to 25 Phase I and two Phase II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct a brownfields inventory, prioritize sites, and perform 12 Phase I and three Phase II environmental site assessments in the Cargo- and Transit-Oriented Development Areas. Grant funds also will be used to support community outreach activities.  Activities associated with the 2008 award began in Fall 2008 and will continue through Fall 2011.  Please visit the USEPA Brownfields website or download the Brownfields 2008 Grant Fact Sheet for Blue Island for more details on this award.

2009 USEPA Cleanup Grant Project

Check back for details.

Risk Communication – Private Sector (Non-City) Projects

Former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) Site