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Drew Ballensky is general manager of Duro-Last Roofing, Inc.’s central U.S. facility in Iowa and company spokesman for Duro-Last’s cool roofing, sustainability and architectural education programs. He is past-president of the Chemical Fabrics and Film Association and chairman of CFFA’s Vinyl Roofing Division. Drew earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from the University of Northern Iowa and master’s degree in business administration from Florida State University. Drew has over 29 years experience in business and industry in various engineering and managerial capacities. He has worked in the U.S. and Canadian operations for a major international manufacturer of pre-engineered steel buildings, was a financial analyst with a major athletic apparel manufacturer and was an owner of a general contracting company.

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DC proposal would convert coal plant to green mixed-use neighborhood

August 26, 2011

A $450-million plan to transform the site of a 60-year-old coal-fired power plant into a sustainable mixed-use community, called “Potomac River Green,” was unveiled this month by the American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF), a Washington, DC-based non-profit.
(http://www.greenbang.com/from-coal-plant-to-green-community-for-450-million_19552.html)

Developed after a year of work by a team of architects, urban planners, financial advisers and utility consultants, the proposal includes:

89,600 sf of office space; 114,500 sf of retail and restaurants
467 multi-family and 96 townhouse units
Office space with a Clean Energy Enterprise Center to incubate alternative energy and new technology businesses
An Energy Museum featuring 21st-century technologies
A 125-room boutique hotel
A compressed natural gas (CNG) and fast-charge electric car refueling station for government, commercial fleets, and individual vehicles
Enhanced access to water taxis and mass transit

Crushed brick from the plant would be used in the concrete for paths, streets and gardens. Brick and steel framing from plant would be used in the commercial property. All construction would be LEED-certified.

The Alexandria, VA plant is more than 60 years old, lacks critical emission controls, operates at 20 percent capacity, and is no longer critical for electric reliability.


Philadelphia Navy Yard building converted to energy research ‘living lab’ 1 week 4 days ago
Dilapidated 22-story Cambridge, Mass. courthouse headed for mixed-use rebirth 2 weeks 4 days ago
Controversy over whether Montreal’s Olympic Stadium should be preserved 3 weeks 5 days ago
Lowell, Mass. mill transformation to mixed use features whimsical elements 4 weeks 5 days ago
Renovation of former Domino refinery part of $1.5B proposal to redevelop Brooklyn site 5 weeks 4 days ago

Comments on: "DC proposal would convert coal plant to green mixed-use neighborhood"

Comments

Great Idea

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 2011-08-31 14:24.

I think this is a fanastic idea. I lived adjacent to this plant for several years and got used to the coal trains rolling into the plant on a nightly basis, but I never got used to how my asthma was never able to be controlled. This plant needs to be replaced with a sustainable anchor to Old Town.

reply

Interesting development

Submitted by Pete Kane (@Buildingwell) (not verified) on Tue, 2011-08-30 12:42.

The Potomac River Green plan sounds like an interesting and great reuse of an old power site. Especially noteworthy is the fact that the development will reuse a number of various materials from the existing structure/site in the new development. Although not clear in the article, it sounds as though the project would be perfect for LEED for Neighborhood Development due to its scope and neighborhood connectivity plans. Also not stated in the article is the amount of affordable housing that will be dedicated in the residential portion. I'm sure we will see more details as the plans progress.