NOTABLE ASSIGNMENTS

Austin Area

Pre-remediation and post-remediation valuations of an apartment complex constructed in the 1980s over a former landfill. Methane generated by the landfill collected in several units and threatened explosion. The apartments were evacuated and abandoned for several years. Groundbreaking legislature permitted redevelopment of the apartments. For further information, please read "Watersbend: Appraising a Brownfield Redevelopment Project," which we published in The Appraisal Journal in 2003.

Diminution in value to over 70 residences and commercial properties near a petroleum "tank farm" that had leaked gasoline and related chemicals into the soil and groundwater for thirty years.

Century-old, abandoned power plant intended for conversion to commercial and residential use. The building had extensive asbestos, lead and PCB contamination, flooded subfloors, rodent infestation, and abandoned heavy equipment dispersed throughout the premises.

Diminution in value to mid-rise, downtown office building suffering from reduced rents and occupancy levels due to mold contamination caused by defective construction.

Diminution in value to retail strip center contaminated by dry-cleaning solvents from adjacent property.

Multi-million dollar residence contaminated so severely with mold that it required demolition down to the slab.

Appraisal of acreage under Federal Land Acquisition guidelines. Property was affected by endangered species on site, and proposed acquisition would eliminate valuable frontage at a stoplight intersection.

Suburban acreage and partially completed utility infrastructure for a failed condominium development.

Subdivision of over 1,000 acres -- including residential lots, time-shares and commercial acreage -- surrounding a private golf course.

Appraisal of remaining lots in a master-planned industrial/commercial park. Existing uses in the park included a regional post office, beer brewery, transit warehouse, and several hundred thousand square feet of warehouse space.

Commercial lots sold under liquidation conditions in a poor economic climate.

Commercial acreage along major freeway condemned for 345-kilovolt electric transmission lines.

Specialty-beef cattle ranch affected by condemnation proceedings. The taking eliminated the business and left a awkwardly shaped remainder with limited economic use.

Consultation with government agency on renegotiating lease for a municipal solid waste landfill concurrent with its expansion.

Appraisal of franctional interest in a quarry for estate purposes.

Auditorium/meeting hall, office and 31-unit apartment complex. Auditorium space was planned for conversion to office use.

200,000 SF single-tenant office/warehouse with excess land. Alabama - Market and feasilbility study of rural acreage intended municipal solid waste landfill, including rail-hauling of waste from northeast US.


 

Elsewhere in Texas

Cattle ranch adjacent to a battery-manufacturing plant. Lead emissions from plant contaminated soil and fatally poisoned many cows.

Prime commercial tract contaminated with petroleum products from an adjacent government-owned facility. A portion of the property could not be developed and compromised the use of the entire site.

Several residences near a petrochemical complex near a facility cited for hundreds of violations of the Texas Clean Air Act. The facility had exposed the neighborhood to near-constant air exposure to styrenes, butylenes, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and other chemicals.

Numerous houses near a Texas Superfund site involving an industrial facility that had contaminated surrounding soils and groundwater with arsenic.

Acreage and creek affected by gasoline spill from ruptured pipeline.

Several residences contaminated with residue from oil refinery abandoned decades ago.

Science laboratory with trichloroethylene in the soil and groundwater and adjacent to a bayou.

Storage warehouse and food processing center with acid tanks, oil/water separators, underground storage tanks and above-ground chemical storage tanks on the premises. The brownfield property was intended for remediation under a Municipal Setting Designation.

Several newer, high-value homes with unstable soils leading to extensive cracking of foundations and walls.

Several large, rural properties with extensive damage to trees caused by fire sparked by a welder's torch.

3,000-acre hazardous waste disposal facility including a landfill, deep injection well, and incinerator.

Several studies of premiums paid for acreage to be used for expansions of Municipal Solid Waste Facilities.

Acreage and deer-breeding facility affected by wind turbines placed immediately adjacent to property.

Unique heavy-industrial facility for property tax litigation.

Condemnation appraisal of an 18-hole golf course, wherein a proposed channel easement would substantially alter the course layout.

Condemnation appraisal for acreage affected by a gas pipeline running along commercial frontage.

Several properties partially condemned for a border fence and buffer between the United States and Mexico.

Contributory value of a Municipal Utility District on acreage never developed because of poor economic conditions.

Several hundred acres to be purchased as buffer for an electricity-generating facility.

Over 4,000 acres intended for auction and development as a master-planned, "smart growth" subdivision.

Research and valuation of historical surface-rental rights in eleven counties covering over six million acres in east Texas during a 110-year period between Texas's statehood in 1845 until 1954.

Church parsonage and partially completed church on acreage.

 

Other States

California -- Industrial building contaminated by nickel, cadmium and volatile organic compounds.

California -- Easement valuation for proposed relocation of electric transmission line through acreage approved for landfill use. Assignment involved several location and timing scenarios as well as purchases of land for mitigation purposes.

California -- Municipal solid waste landfill and hazardous waste landfill for property tax litigation. Landfill had short remaning life and tens of million of dollars in pending environmental remediation.

 

 

 

California, Georgia, Montana-- Municipal solid waste landfill appraised for property tax litigation. All cases settled or adjudicated successfully with stipulation to employ our methodology for assessing values in future years.

Colorado -- Nearly 1,000 residences contaminated by TCE in groundwater that volatilized into air seeping into basements.

Illinois -- Class-action lawsuit involving over 1,000 residences with drinking-water wells contaminated by various industrial solvents.

Virginia -- Acreage proposed for construction/demolition debris landfill, including market survey of competing properties and feasiblity study.