heavily contaminated. ;e project’s original goal
was to put a cap on the land to protect the public
from contamination. But, while protective of public health and the environment, that cap wouldn’t
allow the site to be reused. So Ms. Brooks and her
team worked with community groups, developers
and government agencies to create a new transportation hub, getting them excited about the potential
bene;ts of redeveloping a site that had stigmatized
the community for years.
“Aligned with the community, regulators and
the private sector, we made the case to the state
government that this [new project scope] would
reduce the number of cars on the road, help
the environment and catalyze job creation in a
blighted community,” she says.
Ultimately, rather than capping the land, they
built a central rail passenger station, a bus terminal
for express service to the airport, and a 2,500-car
parking facility on top of the contaminated soil,
which protected citizens while adding value to the
site and the community.
“If you align goals upfront, beginning with the end
in mind, you run a much greater chance of success,”
Ms. Brooks says.
Rigorous oversight and clear communication
also can help mitigate these risks. Consistent documentation helps create accountability and allows
project teams to manage surprises and navigate
change—without turning sentiment against the
project, she says.
“Good project governance provides top-to-bot-tom visibility of any deviations from a plan and
allows for timely corrective actions to be considered
and implemented.”
THE GREAT UNKNOWN
Brown;eld redevelopment projects often require
teams to grapple with a variety of risks related
to environmental remediation, regulatory requirements and varied stakeholder groups. ;ose groups
include government agencies and an array of contractors—each responsible for a di;erent aspect of
the project.
To be ready for whatever might come their way,
project managers need to expect the unexpected,
says Jim Hengel, senior vice president and project
director in the energy business for global engineering and construction company Black & Veatch,
Overland Park, Kansas, USA.
During the construction phase of a recently completed project to build a gas-;red power plant on a
brown;eld site, for example, his team discovered
an ash land;ll that the owner had not documented.
;e team had to assess the impact on the project
schedule and budget of excavating the land;ll and
Communicating
the positive
benefits the
project will
deliver to the
community can
help bolster
public support.
—Rhian Greenrod, Barangaroo
Delivery Authority, Sydney,
Australia
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