Brownfields success stories

Communities all across Wisconsin have successfully investigated, cleaned up and redeveloped many of their contaminated properties. Better yet, many of these redevelopment projects resulted in uses which make their communities a better place to be. We've highlighted some of the most interesting projects from our partnerships with local governments and private parties to showcase the eye-opening transformations that can happen when we work together to clean up Wisconsin brownfield sites.

Interactive Map of Brownfield Redevelopment Success Stories

The interactive Brownfield Success Stories StoryMap allows users to see at a glance the locations of many successful brownfield redevelopment sites across the state. Click on a location indicated on the map and a summary of the project appears with a photo. Some are side-by-side, before-and-after images to showcase the eye-opening transformations in many Wisconsin communities.

Featured Videos

Beans & Brew

Watch partnerships in action as the village of Potosi and the Colectivo coffee company work with the DNR and other state agencies to clean up and revitalize two brownfield properties. To see more ways the DNR is working with businesses and communities to redevelop brownfields, check out the DNR YouTube channel.

Ashland Lakefront

Through interviews with those who worked on the project or lived nearby, this video tells the story of the challenges and the teamwork required to complete this decades-long remediation project along the shores of Lake Superior in Ashland, WI. Once clogged with tar and scrap lumber from years of industry, the water in Chequamegon Bay and along the shore have now been restored to pristine condition.