In built-out areas of Oregon, the only remaining developable land is on often located on contaminated brownfields, although in some cases the government has stepped in to provide funding for clean up.
"Portland's hot real estate market has devoured vacant property and inflated prices on the remaining scraps of land.
Now, pressure is on to reclaim former industrial sites where contamination has stalled development.
Several local governments are studying these abandoned properties -- known as brownfields -- and trying to help transform them into productive businesses. If they succeed, today's ghost of a gas station could become condominiums or a neighborhood pub."
"'If you're looking to do something really close in, these are the only sites left,' says Clark Henry, who promotes industrial redevelopment for the city of Portland. 'Some of it is just people coming down to reality. "This is what we have to do. We develop these, or we leave."'"
FULL STORY: The greening of brownfields

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
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