The MWMO’s new headquarters involves a wide array of uses and public benefits—not only as a home to MWMO’s staff but as a unique setting that supports interpretation, education, and training on water quality and stormwater issues. It is also helping spur redevelopment along the east bank of the Mississippi River.
Barr provided a variety of services for the new headquarters related to site clearing, contamination investigation, remediation planning and implementation, assistance with obtaining grant funding, design of environmentally friendly and sustainable stormwater management features, and incorporation of recreational and educational design features in the project.
The site has a long history of industrial and commercial land uses and the presence of debris placed in a former ravine that crossed the site. The remediation was coordinated with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Brownfields program and was funded by state and county brownfield grants. After construction, a wide array of community groups have used the facility for meetings and events related to water, natural resources, recycling, and other environmental issues.