City of Chiloquin Brownfield Services

The City of Chiloquin engaged CHA to help establish and manage its Brownfield Program. The city’s program has leveraged various state and federal funding sources, including a Business Oregon Assessment Grant, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Community-wide Brownfield Assessment Grant, an EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant, two Business Oregon Cleanup Grants, and funding provided by multiple private foundations.

To date, this funding has facilitated the cleanup of both the Chiloquin Mercantile site and the former Markwardt Brothers Garage. The Markwardt Brothers garage cleanup, completed in August 2024, has paved the way for the city to apply for a $10-$20 million EPA Community Change Grant that will fund the design and construction of a state-of-the-art community resilience center/hub. The cleanup of these facilities will facilitate the development of a $10 million community resilience center/hub.

In addition to the cleanup of these two catalytic properties, the city’s EPA Brownfield Community-wide Assessment Grant funded several Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) that have facilitated property transfers and catalyzed redevelopment. One such example is the Hirvi Building. This long-vacant commercial building is being transformed into a mixed-use office and retail center by local entrepreneurs who also purchased the adjacent former Chiloquin Hotel, which will be repurposed.

Finally, an updated Phase I ESA for the former Chiloquin lumber mill site has provided information necessary for the city to consider a possible acquisition of the property for use as a park.

Thanks to CHA’s vision and responsiveness, the small City of Chiloquin, OR, is positioned for continued sustainable community-driven growth.