Properties that once contained scrap yards, gas stations, dry cleaners, and other businesses with industrial activities can be home to potentially hazardous substances and contaminants, which can complicate or prevent future use. To help identify, assess, and redevelop these properties (known as brownfields) the City of Durham Office of Economic and Workforce Development administers the Durham Brownfields Assessment Program.

The program, funded by grants received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is designed to assess potential brownfield sites located citywide, with an emphasis on properties located in targeted community development areas, including Northeast Central Durham. The goal of the program is to transition eligible properties from underutilized, potentially contaminated sites, to new useful purposes while spurring economic growth, job creation, and protecting the environment. 

Successful grant implementation has yielded repeat awards from EPA; a testament to the power of the work accomplished by the program and the Durham community.