HR Green Environmental Consulting Instrumental in Bakery-to-Brewery Transformation

WATERLOO, Iowa, May 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The transformation of a 1927 industrial bakery into the new Single Speed Brewing Co. is yet another urban renewal success story that HR Green, a professional engineering and environmental consulting firm, helped launch.  

When the massive Hostess Wonder Bread factory closed in 2012, concerns about contamination and other environmental problems created anxiety for potential investors. The City of Waterloo immediately began investigating ways to revitalize and redevelop the site and the surrounding area.

As part of HR Green's ongoing commitment to partner with communities on brownfields assessment and cleanup projects, the firm worked with the City to secure a $23,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for required environmental studies. In 2014, HR Green also worked with the City to complete two Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) and helped with the proper closure of two large underground storage tanks.

Once these vital steps were completed, the City was able to acquire the property for $400,000 and give the green light to redevelopment.

According to Noel Anderson, Community Planning & Development Director for the City of Waterloo, the brewery-pub is an important part of Downtown Waterloo's revitalization plan. The new business works symbiotically with various new projects including the Upper Plaza and Amphitheatre, a sportsplex and other new entertainment venues, as well as planned residential, commercial and retail components.

"This project not only helps to preserve a historic building in the heart of Downtown Waterloo, it also brings another level of tourist attraction to the area ? bicyclists, walkers, and other new visitors. This is really something special," said Anderson.

As a result of a joint public-private partnership, the old Wonder Bread factory re-opened last month as the Single Speed Brewing Co. The new business features a beer production operation, restaurant, tap room, and coffee shop while guaranteeing to maintain at least $3 million in assessed value. This transformative project is only one of numerous efforts currently underway that are revitalizing a once-declining central business district.

Originally founded in 1913, HR Green has offices in Des Moines, Iowa and throughout the United States. HR Green provides engineering, technical, and management services to clients in the following markets: Transportation, Water, Governmental Services, Land Development, Environmental, and Construction. For more information, visit www.hrgreen.com.

SOURCE HR Green