Jaffrey seeks contractors for Brownfields assessments

Jaffrey is soliciting proposals from contractors to assess potential contamination at several sites that are ripe for future development, after receiving a federal grant for Brownfields assessments.

Jaffrey is requesting bids from contractors with expertise in environmental site and risk assessment, management plans, groundwater and soil testing and remediation and clean up.

A “Brownfield” site is a former industrial or commercial site where future use is affected by actual or perceived environmental contamination.

Earlier this year, Jaffrey was selected for a $300,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The grant allows the town to inventory and assess potential Brownfields sites throughout the town, but particularly in the downtown area.

In its grant application, the town indicated interest in an assessment of two privately owned properties in particular – the former W.W. Cross manufacturing facility and the St. Patrick’s School.

The primary priority for the town is the W.W. Cross mill, which was once a tack factory, and was most recently used as commercial rental space. About a third of the building was destroyed during a five-alarm fire in June of 2020, and it has remained unrepaired and empty since.

On Main Street, the St. Patrick’s School has been closed and vacant since the school’s closure in 2015. While there has been interest in developing the property for housing since that time, none of the plans were ever brought to fruition.

“These two priority sites anchor our Downtown redevelopment planning and investment initiatives,” said Community Development Director JoAnne Carr.