In this project we provide a framework for analyzing the benefits of greening brownfield properties.
The work completed includes a mail survey on the attitudes of Houston residents toward brownfields
and greenspaces, a hedonic pricing analysis examining the extent which the conversion of brownfields
into greenspaces impacts nearby property values, a valuation of ecosystem services on a City of Houston
brownfield site (Bellfort), and three alternative designs for the brownfield site.
The survey results demonstrate that parks in Houston are farther from the respondents who had
relatively lower incomes and that respondents prefer ecosystem services that have direct benefits, such
as flood control and air quality improvements. The hedonic pricing analysis shows mixed results: one of
the brownfield to park conversions had a positive impact on nearby properties while another brownfield
to park conversion had a negative impact on nearby properties. For the conversion that had a positive
impact, nearby property values increased between 4.6% and 11.9% depending on the distance from the
park. The brownfields/parks studied differed in their size and location in Houston. The ecosystem services
analysis for the Bellfort site includes an examination of air quality improvement, carbon sequestration,
and stormwater management, which in total currently provide around $64,000 of annual benefits. The
alternative designs for the 300-acre Bellfort site, which includes a former landfill and incinerator, propose
ideas to increase the benefits the land provides, such as by increasing habitat and recreation areas and
constructing stormwater management systems.
All of the project’s components aim to provide insight into the benefits of greening brownfield
properties. The results of this project should inform the scope and design ultimately approved for the
redevelopment on the Bellfort site. More generally, our project has identified some expectations and
methodologies for future brownfield redevelopment projects.