A major step toward redevelopment

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has approved an "urban setting designation" for approximately 50 acres of land that run from Brown Street to the Great Miami River, paving the way for redevelopment.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has approved the University of Dayton's request for an ''urban setting designation'' for approximately 50 acres of land that run from Brown Street to the Great Miami River.

The designation is important because it will allow the University to remediate and redevelop the property safely and efficiently in the most cost-effective way possible, protecting public health while at the same time spurring redevelopment on a parcel of city land that has stood largely vacant for decades.

UD has pledged to clean up the entire 50-acre property in accordance with the requirements of the Ohio Voluntary Action Program, Ohio's brownfield redevelopment law.

The cities of Dayton and Oakwood formally endorsed UD's application. In addition, UD officials and environmental consultants have held more than 40 informational meetings in the past year with various constituencies, including neighborhood groups, local municipalities and the Miami Conservancy District.

''An urban setting designation recognizes that if groundwater under a property won't be used for drinking water and will not affect other groundwater sources used for drinking water, then it's not necessary to clean it up to drinking water standards. The city of Dayton and the city of Oakwood both have their own community water supply systems,'' said Craig Kasper, CEO of Hull & Associates, an environmental firm that specializes in brownfield remediation under the state's Voluntary Action Program. According to UD's environmental consultants, no existing contamination from the property could impact either of those drinking water systems. By granting the USD, the Ohio EPA formally approves this analysis.

The Ohio EPA has granted 30 urban setting designations in the state, with eight applications pending.

UD officials thanked public officials and neighbors for their support of the USD. ''Redevelopment of this site is an important component of Dayton's future economic development, and we're grateful that the Ohio EPA, regional leaders and our neighbors support the redevelopment of a long-underutilized site to benefit UD and the Dayton region,'' said Ted Bucaro, director of government and regional relations for UD.

In the past five years, UD has completed $168 million in campus construction projects. A Courtyard by Marriott hotel across from UD's new sports complex opened in February. University Place, a two-story, mixed-use development that will include retail outlets and graduate student apartments, will open on the corner of Brown and Stewart streets in fall 2007. UD is collaborating with developers on both of these projects.

In a national ranking issued last fall, the University of Dayton ranked third in the "extraordinary efforts" it makes to the renewal and revitalization of its surrounding community. The "Saviors of Our Cities" list recognizes the top 25 universities and colleges that are "exemplary examples of community revitalization and cultural renewal, economic drivers of the local economy, advocates of community service and urban developers, both commercially as well as in housing."

Founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary (Marianists), a Roman Catholic teaching order, the University of Dayton has grown into the largest private university in the state and ranks in the top tier of national universities.

Contact Ted Bucaro, director of government and regional relations for the University of Dayton, at 937-229-4158.