The following once-polluted sites represent some of L.A.’s greatest turnaround stories. Many of these parcels sat unused for years, but now are either home to major existing redevelopment projects or are the sites of proposed improvements.
Location: Burbank, near the airport.
Size: 103 acres bordered by Buena Vista Street, Empire Avenue, Victory Place and Victory Boulevard; and 31 acres at Empire Avenue and Hollywood Way.
Former use: Lockheed Corp., which merged with Martin Marietta to become Lockheed Martin Corp. in 1995, built generations of commercial and military aircraft in Burbank from the 1920s through 1991. Lockheed employed as many as 100,000 people in Burbank at the facility’s peak during World War II and shuttered its operations there in 1991.
Original owner: Lockheed Martin Corp.
Current owner: Same. Lockheed officials expect Zelman Development Co. to close escrow on the site once city leaders have granted approval to its proposed Burbank Empire Center.
Cleanup story: The land has sat unused since Lockheed shut its doors. Steps taken include soil removal and vapor extraction. The chlorinated solvents leaked into the groundwater, requiring Lockheed to build a water treatment setup that pumps 9,000 gallons of water a minute out of the ground, filters it, then sends it into the city’s water supply, company officials said.
Current status: All the mitigation is complete and the city has given its OK to a state environmental review. The Burbank City Council will vote Sept. 5 on the Burbank Empire Center.
Envisioned build-out: Zelman wants to develop the Burbank Empire Center, which calls for up to 600,000 square feet of office space or studios, 900,000 square feet of retail, and two hotels with up to 350 rooms between them. No comparable development site exists in Burbank for such a project. Zelman has already been cleared to develop 31 acres nearby into 631,000 square feet of industrial space.
– – –
Location: Anaheim Street and Terminal Island Freeway, Wilmington
Size: 240 acres
Former use: Oil facilities
Original owners: TLC Corp., Champlin Oil
Current owner: Port of Long Beach
Cleanup story: The site was used as a dump site for oilfield waste and tank-bottom sludge from 1951 to 1972. Among the toxic substances that were deposited were resins, solvents, oil, paints, dyes, inorganic salts and acids. The resulting soil pollutants included xylene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), arsenic, lead, chromium and zinc.
In 1988, then-owner Union Pacific Resources Co. signed a consent order to conduct a preliminary assessment, remedial investigation and feasibility study to clean up the site, and in 1993 remedied a portion of the site for the development of a car-distribution facility for Toyota. In 1994, the Port of Long Beach acquired the site, except for a small portion that had been acquired by Ultramar in 1988.
The cleanup effort commenced in 1996, with the removal of 9,800 cubic yards of contaminated soil, which was replaced with clean, imported soil. An additional 405,400 cubic yards of less-contaminated subterranean soil (also known as sump soil) was excavated, treated and stabilized. The cleaned and stabilized sump soil was then replaced on top of a layer of clean, imported soil. On top of the sump soil, another three-foot layer of clean, imported soil was placed, and on top of that a layer of asphalt.
Current status: The site is now part of Pier A, a container cargo terminal used by the Hanjin Shipping Co., in the Port of Long Beach.
Envisioned build-out: Complete.
Location: West Bonita Avenue and South Acacia Street, San Dimas
Size: 4.5 acres
Former use: Chrome plating shop
Original owner: Cropper’s Plating
Current owner: San Dimas Redevelopment Agency
Cleanup story: The site was formerly used by a chrome plating shop that specialized in repairing and re-chroming car bumpers. The facility was demolished in 1991 and the site was acquired by the San Dimas Redevelopment Agency. On examination, it was found that soil samples contained high levels of hexavalent chromium, a toxic substance, and that the site needed to be cleaned up. In 1995, 570 cubic yards of soil were excavated and disposed of at an off-site location. Further cleanup of soil that had been contaminated by a gas station operating on another portion of the site was completed five months ago.
Current status: Clean and ready for new development.
Envisioned build-out: The site is being targeted for an ice skating rink, for both public use and for junior and semi-professional hockey teams. That use was approved in 1995 by the San Dimas City Council, but the project was held up while the developer sought financing.
– – –
Location: 6315 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles
Size: 2 acres
Former use: Radiator manufacturing facility
Original owner: Eskimo Radiator
Current owner: Turco Products
Cleanup story: The site was formerly a radiator manufacturing facility, primarily for automobiles. On examination, the state determined that poor waste handling practices had led to high levels of zinc and lead in the soil. The contaminated area was excavated in November 1984. The property was purchased by Turco Products in 1990, and subsequent examinations found that lead contamination was still in excess of acceptable levels. In 1994, 2,500 cubic yards of soil were removed to a disposal facility in Utah. In 1996, another 1,540 cubic yards were removed over a period of two days, and later that year the site was finally declared clean. Eventually, Modine Manufacturing Co. (which bought Eskimo) and Turco Products agreed to pay the state undisclosed sums for past cleanup costs.
Current status: Clean and in use as a parking and storage facility.
Envisioned build-out: Undetermined.
Location: 2100 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro
Size: 87 acres
Former use: Oil refinery and terminal
Original owner: Western Fuel Oil
Current owner: LandBank Inc.
Cleanup story: An oil refinery from approximately 1923 to 1948, the property changed hands a few times and eventually was used by Western Fuel as a terminal and storage facility from 1974 until it was shut down in 1995. The property was bought by LandBank, which develops environmentally hazardous sites for commercial purposes. An examination determined that the site was contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, lead and chromium. Soil and groundwater hydrocarbon contamination was removed with an air-and-soil vapor extraction system. Refinery equipment was demolished in 1996, and all remaining structures were removed from the site in December 1999 at a cost of between $6 million and $7 million.
Current status: Clean and in the process of being redeveloped.
Envisioned build-out: In partnership with Overton Moore & Associates and Pacific Coast Capital Partners, LandBank is developing an $80 million, 1.8 million-square-foot business park to support Port of L.A. activities. It is to be called the San Pedro Business Center. Grading on phase one began in February, and construction began in early summer. Phase one is completely pre-leased.
Compiled by John Brinsley,
Edvard Petterssen and Milo Peinemann.
