Black Hawk-Grundy County Mental Health Center has proposed the construction of a $7.4 million mental health housing facility at the former Alstadt Langlas Bakery located at 54 Lane Street. The project would feature 24 efficiency apartments for single occupancy designed to help individuals that are chronically homeless, in and out of correctional facilities, and have a mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or a physical disability. Additional details are available at https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/permanent-housing-mental-illness-jail-homelessness/article_a5efa26e-9614-11ee-8c6e-936da04be57f.html
The City of Waterloo recently acquired the brownfields site following completion of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) under a previous EPA Community-Wide Assessment Grant. A subsequent Phase II ESA identified elevated levels of arsenic in soils, diesel in groundwater, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in vapor samples.
The City has submitted a proposal for a FY25 EPA Brownfields Multipurpose Grant to help address remaining environmental concerns at the site. Once overcome, the proposed redevelopment of the blighted property will help expand the Human Services Campus. The referenced $16.4 million cluster of service providers consists of the Waterloo Women’s Center for Change, Operation Threshold, and Cedar Valley Food Bank that give financial, emotional, and material support to individuals in need. Each is sited on a former brownfield cleared for reuse under previous EPA cooperative agreements.
