Walters Group Wins Prestigious Brownfield Renewal Award

Stafford Park Wins Brownfield Renewal Award in the Environmental Impact Category. End Quote

Atlantic City, NJ (1888PressRelease) December 15, 2010 - The Stafford Park redevelopment is the winner of the prestigious 2010 Brownfield Renewal Award, Environmental Impact, presented by Brownfield Renewal magazine. Walters Group, the developer, will be honored at the 14th National Brownfields Conference to be held in Philadelphia in April 2011.

In its second year, the awards honor three winners who represent the gold standard of brownfield redevelopment across three distinct industry spheres of influence - environmental, social, and economic impact, according to the publication. Stafford Park is the winner in the category of environmental impact, chosen from 18 redevelopments nominated nationwide.

"We are proud and humbled to have received this national recognition for our accomplishments at Stafford Park," said Ed Walters, Jr., president and founder of the Walters Group. "Stafford Park represents and encompasses all of the goals that brownfield redevelopment should strive for.

"Our extensive positive working relations with virtually every agency in the state helped Stafford Park generate the necessary funds through private development to cap Stafford's landfill. We were able to do this in a way that provided the utmost protection for the native threatened animal and plant species. Stafford Park is being constructed with the latest construction methods that provide the least impact on the environment, more so than any other project of its kind. The renewable initiatives that are currently being advanced will complete our objectives of making Stafford Park a model for all future development," added Walters.

Currently, Walters Group is planning the installation of a solar farm at Stafford Park, which along with existing retail solar panels and proposed wind turbines, will produce up to 70 percent of the electricity needed to operate the business park when it is fully built out. The solar farm is one of the largest and most ambitious solar power projects being proposed in the state, according to Walters.

Dave Misky, assistant executive director, Redevelopment Authority for the City of Milwaukee, Wis., served on the panel of judges involved in the selection process. He credits Walters for their redevelopment efforts at Stafford Park noting that, "Not only did the project successfully manage environmental issues associated with two landfills, but the redevelopment involved several environmental aspects including LEED certification for several commercial buildings and an affordable residential apartment complex, sustainable energy components with solar, wind, and geothermal power, preserved lands through the use of a development credit program, created a 'plant and animal species management plan,' and managed storm water by using it for irrigating the landscape."

"Clearly, the redevelopment of the landfills alone typifies the sustainable nature of brownfield redevelopment, but this project went much further with the numerous other sustainable efforts that set it apart from other applications in the environmental category," added Misky.

Stafford Park is located off exit 63, at the southwest corner of the Garden State Parkway and Route 72 interchange. The roster of retail tenants operating at Stafford Park includes Dick's Sporting Goods, PetSmart, Costco, Target, and Best Buy. Also, ULTA Beauty is nearing completion on a new 10,800-square-foot superstore. The retail portion of Stafford Park is registered with a certification goal of LEED® Silver.

Stafford Park Apartments achieved LEED Gold Certification and is the first affordable housing project in the State of New Jersey to obtain this level of certification. The development consists of 112 units in five low-rise buildings, featuring a variety of energy- efficient one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. Walters is currently awaiting approvals for the construction of 216 market-rate apartments at Stafford Park.

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