-Agenda
Thursday, May 7, 2026
| Thu 11:00 AM - 11:10 AM |
Welcome & Overview
This will be a welcome to participants with our course advisor providing a brief introduction to the course.
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| Thu 11:10 AM - 11:30 AM |
Understanding Development Finance
Brownfield redevelopment is a hallmark example of how development finance tools come together to make projects possible. The course will begin with an orientation to development finance and the types of tools commonly used within a brownfield project's capital stack.
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| Thu 11:30 AM - 12:10 PM |
Brownfields 101
Brownfields present both challenges and opportunities, and communities that know how to navigate them can unlock significant economic and environmental value. This session provides a practical introduction to brownfields redevelopment, covering core concepts, the cleanup process, and why brownfields matter to local markets and communities. Participants will explore how public and private actors manage environmental risk and transform underutilized sites, with a look at emerging redevelopment trends such as transit-oriented development, solid waste, brightfields, and other forms of adaptive reuse.
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| Thu 12:10 PM - 12:45 PM |
Brownfields Legal and Regulatory Landscape
Navigating the legal and regulatory framework is often the biggest hurdle to successful brownfields redevelopment. This session breaks down the environmental, tax, and liability rules that shape how brownfield sites are cleaned up and reused, and clarifies the roles of federal, state, and local governments in the process. Participants will also explore the most common legal and regulatory barriers such as liability concerns, site control, financing constraints, and planning challenges and learn how practitioners work through them to move projects forward.
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| Thu 12:45 PM - 12:55 PM |
Break
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| Thu 12:55 PM - 1:25 PM |
Redevelopment Process and the Partners Involved
Successful brownfields redevelopment depends on aligning remediation and financing strategies from the very start. This session walks through the full redevelopment process from initial site assessment to project completion, showing how cleanup decisions, funding strategies, and partnerships intersect. Participants will explore the roles of key players, how to identify and engage the right partners, and best practices for working with developers, state voluntary cleanup programs, site control mechanisms, and reuse planning to move projects forward efficiently.
Speaker(s)
- Mary Hashem, Founder and President, Adaapta & RE | Solutions
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| Thu 1:25 PM - 2:15 PM |
Federal Funding Sources for Brownfields
Federal dollars often make the difference between a brownfields project that stalls and one that moves forward. This session highlights the most impactful federal funding programs supporting brownfields cleanup and redevelopment and shows how communities can use them strategically. Participants will gain practical insight into resources from agencies such as EPA, EDA, and HUD, with a focused look at EPA’s Assessment, Cleanup, and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) programs, and how to align funding choices with site conditions and redevelopment goals.
Speaker(s)
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| Thu 2:15 PM - 3:05 PM |
Financing Brownfields Redevelopment: Bedrock and Targeted Tools
Brownfields projects rarely rely on a single source of funding. They require a smart mix of core and targeted financing tools to get across the finish line. This session explores how foundational development finance tools such as bonds, tax increment financing (TIF), and special assessments can be applied to brownfields redevelopment. Using real-world case studies, participants will see how these tools are layered to fill gaps, manage risk, and support the full capital stack, setting the stage for more advanced financing strategies.
Speaker(s)
- Michael Pehur, Vice President of Investment, SWPA Municipal Project Hub
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| Thu 3:05 PM - 3:15 PM |
Break
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| Thu 3:15 PM - 4:05 PM |
Financing Brownfields Redevelopment: Investment and Access to Capital Tools
Investment and access to capital tools such as tax credits and revolving loan funds (RLFs) can unlock private capital and accelerate brownfields redevelopment. This session focuses on how proven incentive and RLF programs are used to spur job creation, real estate development, and community revitalization on challenged sites. Participants will learn how tax credits and RLFs are applied and layered with other funding sources to close financing gaps and bring brownfields projects to life.
Speaker(s)
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| Thu 4:05 PM - 4:55 PM |
Transforming Brownfields: Project Case Studies
This session highlights diverse case studies to explore how urban, suburban, and rural communities across the country have successfully financed brownfield redevelopment. Through real-life examples, attendees will examine effective strategies for assembling capital, layering tools to match project scale and reuse goals, and innovative strategies for catalyzing redevelopment projects.
Speaker(s)
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| Thu 4:55 PM - 5:00 PM |
Closing Discussion / Final Questions
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