A grant has been awarded to the North Bend Urban Renewal Agency for technical assistance to cover environmental costs from the purchase of the Coos County Annex Building. The Brownsfield Redevelopment Funds are used for the cleanup of abandoned properties where redevelopment is difficult due to toxic contamination. The agency was awarded $60-thousand-dollars for Phase one and two environmental site assessments and hazardous building materials survey. The URA purchased the annex and two adjacent lots for $125-thousand-dollars to redevelop into a planned mid-rise housing complex due to a housing crisis. Due to the age of the building, there was extensive environmental and hazardous testing done. Remediation of asbestos, lead-based paint, and two fuel tanks will need to be done and closed per state rules. According to the city, this will also help with North Bend’s affordability problem while returning the property to the tax rolls.
