class='on' LandBank – American Laundry Building

LANDBANK

HomeOverviewInvestment CriteriaRisk ManagementProjectsContactsSend Us Your Deals

American Laundry Building

Location: Norwood, OH
Size: 8 acres

Prior Use
The facility was used to develop and manufacture commercial laundry and dry cleaning equipment from the early 1900s through the early 2000s.

Challenge
Environmental investigations indicated limited volatile organic compound (VOC) impacts to soil and groundwater, as well as the presence of asbestos in the building materials. With the exception of a former underground storage tank location, the level of VOC concentrations in soil and groundwater did not require remediation in order to achieve commercial land use designation.

Solution
LandBank enrolled the site in the Ohio Voluntary Action Program (VAP), removed underground storage tanks and associated contaminated soils, removed asbestos, and documented that residual soil and groundwater contamination posed an acceptable level of risk without further remediation. The Ohio VAP was petitioned to issue a No Further Action (NFA) designation and provide Covenant Not to Sue protection under state statute. Both designations will require maintenance of engineering controls to ensure long-term protection for the intended future use.

LandBank’s Role
LandBank acquired the site, provided environmental management services, and redeveloped the property into modern office facilities. LandBank placed a Pollution and Remediation Liability policy on the property. The policy provides protection from historical contamination, regulatory reopeners, and known and unknown pollution conditions on and off site. The policy provides protection to the buyer, seller, and future owners of the site.

New Use
More than 200,000 square feet of industrial space was demolished and 56,000 square feet of the former headquarters building was renovated
into office, research, and laboratory space. LEED NC 2.1 certification was awarded to Norwood Venture I, LLC, owned by LandBank Properties, LLC, for the renovation of the shell and core of the original building, built in 1926. The Norwood Venture I, LLC building is the first LEED-certified building in Norwood, the second certified building in Hamilton County, and the 17th certified facility in Ohio. Norwood Venture I, LLC also marks the first LEED-certified project in the Greater Cincinnati area that is a brownfield redevelopment project.

"LEED" refers to the "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which establishes standards for environmentally sustainable construction. LandBank signed leases with Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc. and Time Warner Cable to occupy the four-story facility.

LandBank transformed this brownfield property and historic factory into a modern “green” office building and office park—the cornerstone of Norwood, Ohio’s emerging business district.  The American Laundry Building in Norwood, Ohio, received the LEED™ New Construction 2.1 (NC 2.1) certification for the renovation of the shell and core of the original building, built in 1926.  The American Laundry Building is the first LEED-certified brownfield redevelopment project in the Greater Cincinnati area.

“LEED” refers to the “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which establishes standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

In the American Laundry Building project, LandBank redesigned a 60,000-square-foot, 80-year-old building into viable office, research, and laboratory space.  Tenants include Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., Time Warner Cable and American General Life and Accident Insurance Company.  Phase II will include an additional 100,000 square feet of new office development.

 Key efforts that led to certification of the site include:

  1. Grounds remediated of contaminants
  2. White roofing installed to reduce heat island effect
  3. Bicycle racks and showers installed to promote less car usage
  4. Low-E windows and increased insulation in the exterior walls and roof installed to save energy
  5. HVAC refrigeration equipment and fire suppression systems installed with low ozone depletion potential
  6. “Underfloor” system installed that provides clean, conditioned air to occupants by forcing heat and air contaminants toward the ceiling and back through roof-top filters, reducing transmission of communicable viruses
  7. Water-saving fixtures and native, drought-resistant plants utilized to reduce water consumption

Additionally, the building’s “green” housekeeping program features environmentally friendly chemicals and a staff trained in green initiatives.  These design features have led to a 30-percent reduction in water consumption and a 20-percent increase in energy performance.