Site-Focused Workshops

Rt. 8 corridor in Shaler, the subject of a May 2007 workshop

Brownfields are often considered liabilities when in fact, they pose real environmental, social, and economic opportunities for the home community. The WPBC works with communities as well as small business and property owners to ‘jump start’ opportunities in their neighborhood. To this end, the WPBC facilitates site-focused workshops that bring together national experts and local stakeholders to strategize ‘on-the-ground’ development initiatives and ‘next steps’ for municipalities and small business owners. 

Working with local community leaders, the WPBC selects workshop sites by their complexity and is attracted to areas with a host of issues that stymie development. These obstacles may encompass environmental, political, regulatory, and financial hurdles. The sites are generally held by multiple, distinct owners and are located in areas overlooked by developers. Modeled after the ‘charette’ process, the workshops are not conferences but working sessions, intended to raise awareness, provide the community and property owners with precise action items and promote community economic development.

Summary of Workshops in the United States