In Fall Semester 2023, the Advanced Landscape Architectural Design I and Land Development Principles and Practices courses at WVU were key partner of the Brownfields Assistance Center (BAC) at WVU. In 2021, the BAC was selected by the EPA to be the Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) provider for EPA Region 3. WVU TAB technical assistance goals include, among others, project development and site design assistance. The two courses were instrumental in accomplishing this goal in a way that provided critical tools for community redevelopment in the form of data, master plans and site plans while providing students with an understanding of brownfields and redevelopment processes.

The subject area for the student projects is a 174-acre site located along the Monongahela River within the Greater Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA. This former industrial site boasts a rich history that dates back to the mid-19th century. The last operation on the site was a steel factory. After it closed in 1998, the site was acquired in 2002, and a Preliminary Land Development Plan was approved in 2022. The proposed development includes residential, office, and light industrial spaces. Students were tasked with envisioning alternative developments for the site.