Virginia, Minnesota: Creating 

Housing for Everyone 

Virginia, Minnesota 

continued �

The City of Virginia, Minnesota, located within the Mesabi Iron Range 

approximately 60 miles north of Duluth, has a long history of iron ore and 

taconite mining. 

former mining activity, EPA awarded Virginia a Brownfields Assessment 

Pilot grant in May 1999. 

leveraged approximately $28 million in redevelopment funding for 

restoration projects. 

created jobs and housing opportunities for local citizens and improved the 

quality of life in the community. 

Three former mine dumps—known as the Oneida Addition, Fairview 

Addition, and Northern Heights properties—were originally targeted for 

restoration by the city's Enterprise Mine Area Redevelopment Project. 

Of these properties, the Oneida Addition has thus far seen the most 

redevelopment activity. 

dump site for mining by-products, such as tailings and low-grade ore. 

From the 1950s through 1995 the property was owned by USX, an ironmining subsidiary of U.S. Steel. 

large garden plots and recreational uses to various entities, including the 

City of Virginia. 

arranged by the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board 

(IRRRB), whereby USX turned the property over to the city and IRRRB 

provided USX with a grant for operational plant improvements. 

EPA's Brownfields Pilot conducted an initial assessment of the Oneida 

Addition site, which indicated that there was little contamination beyond a 

few empty barrels. 

barrels and other minor debris. 

for potential purchasers helped promote the site's redevelopment. 

developers each purchased a portion of the property and have since 

transformed their respective sections into an Alzheimer's patient care unit 

and assisted/independent living facility, and an office/showroom for 

construction equipment. 

The Alzheimer's unit and assisted/independent living facilities were 

precisely what the City of Virginia needed. 

housing study in 1999 that illustrated a need for turnover in the housing 

market to provide more middle-income families with access to affordable 

housing. 

city's aging population. 

underserved elderly population and that its plans for the site's reuse were 

To address contamination issues related to the area's 

With assistance from the EPA Pilot, the city has 

The transformation of former mine dumps has 

The property was used during the 1950s as a 

After 1960, USX leased the land for 

In 1995, the city received the site through an exchange 

The only cleanup required was removal of the 

Having the assessment results available 

Two 

The city had conducted a 

The study also revealed a need for a retirement facility for the 

The developer recognized that the area had an 

JUST THE FACTS: • Three former mine dumps—known as the 

Oneida Addition, Fairview Addition, and 

Northern Heights properties—were originally 

targeted for restoration by the city's Enterprise 

Mine Area Redevelopment Project. 

• EPA's Brownfields Pilot conducted an initial 

assessment of the Oneida Addition site, which 

indicated that there was little contamination 

beyond a few empty barrels. The only cleanup 

required was removal of the barrels and other 

minor debris. 

• Creation of an Alzheimer's patient care unit and 

an assisted/independent living complex on the 

Oneida Addition site represents $12 million in 

cleanup and redevelopment funding, in addition 

to 115 new jobs. 

• The remaining properties of the Enterprise Mine 

Area Redevelopment project, Northern Heights 

and the Fairview Addition, have been assessed 

through the Pilot program and currently have 

commercial and residential developments 

underway. 

Built on a former mine dump, a new 

Alzheimer's patient care unit and assisted 

living facilities were precisely what the city 

needed. 

area had an underserved elderly population 

and that its plans were well suited. 

president of one of the development companies confirmed the value of EPA's initial 

assessments, saying, "We would not have 

developed the site if there was serious 

contamination present." 

The developers recognized that the 

A vice 
CONTACTS: 

For more information contact 

U.S. EPA-REGION 5 

(312) 353-2513 

Visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: 

http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ 

well suited. 

value of the earlier assessments, saying, "We would not have developed the site if 

there was serious contamination present." 

The Alzheimer's patient care unit has a capacity of 28 patients, with another 

14 units to be completed. 

complex will have a total of 115 assisted living apartments and 20 

independent apartments. 

live there. 

cleanup and redevelopment funds in addition to 115 permanent jobs when 

both projects are complete. 

members of the community, but has also allowed younger residents to 

purchase the newly vacated houses. 

The remaining properties of the Enterprise Mine Area Redevelopment project, 

Northern Heights and the Fairview Addition, have been assessed through the 

Pilot program and currently have commercial and residential developments 

underway. 

club house, a relocated concrete company, and residential units. 

the process of relocating from a downtown lakeshore property in order to open up the lakefront area 

for reuse as greenspace. 

total, these properties have leveraged upwards of $5 million for redevelopment. 

In addition to the Enterprise Mine Redevelopment project, the city is targeting two other properties for 

assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment-the West Chestnut property and the Highway 53 Corridor. 

The West Chestnut property, which was determined to require no cleanup following a Pilot 

assessment, was a railroad spur and lumber loading area. 

Cross/Blue Shield adjudication center. 

represents $6 million in redevelopment investment. 

expected to create an additional 185 jobs when complete. 

reuse as a business community and a light industrial area. 

completed on the Highway 53 Corridor, but $403,000 has already been leveraged from the Minnesota 

Department of Trade and Economic Development and St. Louis County. 

The City of Virginia has been able to create new residential space, increase the tax base, and restore 

blighted areas to productive use with the help of EPA Brownfields grants. 

A vice president of one of the development companies confirmed the 

The partially completed assisted/independent living 

There is already a waiting list for those wishing to 

The creation of these facilities represents a total of $12 million in 

The development has not only aided the elderly 

The Northern Heights property is expected to house a golf course with a 

The concrete company is in 

The Fairview Addition is being developed into single family housing units. In 

The property is now the site of a Blue 

The adjudication center currently employs 150 workers and 

A planned $4.4 million expansion of the center is 

The Highway 53 Corridor is targeted for 

To date, only assessment work has been 

Brownfields Success Story Solid Waste EPA 500-F-00-254 

Virginia, Minnesota and Emergency March, 2004 

Response (5105) www.epa.gov/brownfields/