Lapin of AKRF is a civil and environmental engineer working to transform New York City

Long a "bad" word in development, "Brownfields" have emerged in recent years as valuable components of New York's plan to become a greener, more sustainable city that can accommodate a fast-growing population. As senior vice president and head of the site assessment and remediation group at environmental, planning and engineering firm AKRF, Michelle Lapin has more than 25 years experience as a civil and environmental engineer, working to transform blighted remnants of our industrial past into the New York City of the future. To many developers, Brownfields seem to pose a daunting challenge. Abandoned or underused industrial sites, Brownfields carry the potential for contamination-thereby requiring testing, analysis and sometimes remediation. But in fact, these sites often present incredible opportunities to revitalize entire neighborhoods and reclaim prime locations. In the Bronx, AKRF has worked with the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp. (SoBro) to transform a formerly-industrial neighborhood into a thriving commercial and residential community. Port Morris, a high-potential waterfront neighborhood, is already showing signs of improvement, with its first hotel set to break ground in 2011. Lapin expects more success stories like Port Morris in the coming years, thanks in part to the mayor's efforts to encourage Brownfield development through PlaNYC. In August, the mayor unviled the New York City Brownfield Cleanup Program (NYC BCP), the first municipally-run Brownfield cleanup program in the nation. Through the mayor's office of Environmental Remediation (OER), the program will provide education, technical assistance, grants and other resources intended to encourage Brownfield development. "Historically, I think the biggest impediment to Brownfield development has been a lack of education and understanding of the regulatory process and the resources available to developers," said Lapin. "The NYC BCP will certainly address that, and as a result, I believe we will see a significant increase in the number of developers willing to take on these projects throughout the five boroughs." Lapin's expertise has also had applications beyond Brownfields. She previously oversaw the investigation, analysis and remediation of hazardous materials as well as soil and groundwater contamination on the current sites of two of the city's newest attractions: Brooklyn Bridge Park and Hudson River Park. These green spaces are now succeeding in providing much-needed and long-awaited public access to historically working waterfronts. Through her work with AKRF, Lapin has developed a firm belief in the valuable role Brownfields can play in the sustainable development of New York. She currently serves as a board member of the New York City Partnership of Brownfield Practitioners, a non-profit that seeks to foster public understanding of Brownfield development and to promote the training and development of the next generation of environmental professionals and leaders from city high schools, colleges, and universities. To that end, the city's Brownfield Partnership administers a number of community programs as well as an annual scholarship to benefit graduating high school students. "As we look to balance New York's growth and sustainability, I think we're going to find that Brownfields will play an important role," said Lapin. "Brownfield used to be a dirty word, but as we educate the public, it is really starting to become a selling point." At AKRF, Lapin is among a number of women who are leaders both within the firm and their respective fields, having helped set the standards on which the industry relies. Lapin's ability to educate her clients about Brownfield development and navigate them through the regulatory and development processes makes her an integral part of AKRF's success. AKRF brings together the talents of more than 180 employees in six locations throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic-New York City, White Plains, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland-to handle a wide variety of projects for public agencies, private clients, and municipalities. The firm's combination of expertise and credibility contributes to the implementation of projects that spur revitalization in communities throughout the country, securing vibrant futures for these areas. With its full range of services, AKRF will continue to serve as a one-stop environmental, planning and engineering resource for developers and municipalities, ensuring the region's most important projects move forward successfully.