Woburn Superfund Site Almost Cleaned Up

Its history of pollution dates back to the Civil War, but 25 years after being declared a Superfund site, Woburn's Industri-plex in Massachusetts is just about cleaned up. A retail complex there has opened recently.

1 minute read

February 18, 2009, 10:00 AM PST

By Judy Chang


"To aid and protect the Industri-plex cleanup, the EPA on Jan. 13 asked the Woburn City Council to make all the site's roads public, a process the city government had already started, said Ward 5 Alderman Darlene Mercer-Bruen.

The EPA also asked Woburn to foreclose on three Industri-plex properties owned by Chestnut Hill Realty Trust. Those three parcels sit on some of the site's most contaminated land, and the sole surviving member of the trust has no interest in holding onto the property, as it has no real commercial value, LeMay said. The EPA wants a responsible property owner who will recognize the land restrictions and protect the cleanup remedy, he said.

Nearly all of the Industri-plex property has land restrictions, but the EPA has approved 10 work plans for development there. The first was the 34-acre, $10-million Anderson Regional Transportation Center, a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority hub that opened in 2001 and is named for Jimmy Anderson, a young child who died of cancer in 1981 and whose mother filed a lawsuit over the contamination."

Thursday, February 12, 2009 in The Boston Globe

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today