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Fayetteville secures 100% Brownfield assessment for Craft Building; demolition remains uncertain
Summary
City staff said the Brownfield assessment for the Craft Building at Stonebridge Park is fully funded by South Central; the assessment will inventory hazardous materials and inform options that could include purchase and demolition, which staff estimated could cost about $400,000.
City staff told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen that a 100%‑funded Brownfield assessment will be performed at the Craft Building at Stonebridge Park, a decades‑long eyesore, and that the assessment will determine contamination risks and next steps.
Jill Smith, identified in the session as a city inspector and the lead on the Brownfield contacts, said South Central Tennessee Development District and Brownfield contractors will perform a full assessment — testing for asbestos, lead and other contaminants — and then submit findings to the state. Smith said the assessment is fully funded and that the city does not have to pay for that initial phase.
Smith said the assessment “will give us grounds to negotiate a price” if the city decides to buy the property and pursue demolition. She estimated demolition could cost about $400,000. City staff warned that once the city condemns a property it may be ineligible for certain Brownfield funding processes, and advised waiting for assessment results before pursuing condemnation.
City staff said Brownfield representatives will appear at the upcoming regular board meeting to explain the assessment results and recommended next steps. Staff also reported that South Central obtained funding to assess three local buildings (the Craft Building, the old hospital, and another industrial site), and that the Craft Building stood out because of its location adjacent to a major park.
No purchase, condemnation, or demolition contract was approved at the work session. The board was presented with information about the assessment funding, the timeline (staff estimated it could take about a year from assessment to remediation planning), and the potential cost range for demolition. City staff said a Brownfield grant for demolition remains possible but is not guaranteed.
