Brockton Awarded $250K Grant To Clean Up Brownfield Site

BROCKTON, MA — The City of Brockton has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Baker-Polito Administration to remove toxic materials from the vacant Corcoran Building at 308 Montello Street, said the city in a news release Wednesday.

The Corcoran Building, a 65,000-square-foot, three-story building located on 1.2 acres in downtown Brockton, has been deemed unfair for use due to pollution. The grant funds will be used to address and solve issues related to fuel storage tanks, contaminated soil, asbestos, and lead paint, which the city hopes will lead to the removal of toxic materials to allow for the property to be developed into 62 units of workspace and affordable housing.

“I am thrilled that these needed funds have been awarded to the City of Champions,” said Brockton Mayor Robert F. Sullivan in a statement. “The Corcoran Building remediation will contribute to the revitalization and residential development of Brockton’s downtown. My thanks to the Baker-Polito Administration and our state delegation for their support in achieving this grant.”

This initiative is part of Brockton’s economic development plan to create more transit-oriented housing in the city's historic downtown. The Corcoran Building is within walking distance from the Brockton MBTA Commuter Line station, and once remediation is complete, the project will be turned over to the Brockton Redevelopment Authority.

“The City has made several efforts to redevelop the Corcoran building, but has always been stymied by ongoing environmental issues,” said City of Brockton Planning Director Rob May in a statement. “This grant will allow us to remove the fuel storage tanks and contaminated soil associated with the tanks making it easier for us to attract a qualified redevelopment team.”

The Brownfields Redevelopment Fund finances the assessment and cleanup of polluted industrial sites, known as brownfields, in Economically Distressed Areas (EDAs) of the state.

The grant awarded to Brockton is part of $1.25 million allocated from the fund to support the remediation of five sites in Massachusetts. These projects will ultimately create 312 livable housing units and provide approximately 802 jobs, according to the news release.