<p>Brownfields, abandoned industrial and commercial properties sitting idle across America's cities and suburbs represent some of the most undervalued opportunities in commercial real estate. But unlocking that value requires navigating a maze of environmental due diligence, contamination risk, and government incentive programs that most investors don't fully understand.</p><p>On this episode of the Real Finds Podcast, Gordon Lamphere sits down with Sam Haydock, Principal and Director of Business Development at BL Companies, to break down how developers and investors can turn contaminated, overlooked properties into productive, tax-generating assets. With over 35 years of experience in environmental and land-use consulting, Sam walks us through what actually qualifies as a brownfield, how to structure due diligence on a contaminated site, the hidden costs of PCBs and asbestos in older buildings, and why public grant programs in Connecticut and across the U.S. have generated $23 in private investment for every $1 spent.</p><p>They also dig into the emerging debate over whether brownfields should be converted to residential use or preserved for the industrial and manufacturing jobs that communities still need.</p><p></p><p>Topics Covered: </p><p>- What qualifies as a brownfield vs. a grayfield </p><p>- Environmental due diligence: soil, groundwater, asbestos, lead, and PCBs </p><p>- Industrial-to-multifamily and office-to-residential conversions </p><p>- Federal and state funding sources </p><p>- Why some brownfields sit idle for decades (and how to fix that) </p><p>- The future of brownfield redevelopment and AI's role in CRE</p><p></p><p>Connect with Sam Haydock: </p><p>Email: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> </p><p>Cell: 203-314-7369 </p><p>Connect with Van Vlissingen and Co.: </p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.vvco.com">https://www.vvco.com</a> </p><p>Phone: 847-846-6902</p><p></p><p>If you found this episode valuable, please leave us a five-star rating and review it helps us keep bringing on guests like Sam. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.</p><p></p><p>Looking for your next redevelopment opportunity? Van Vlissingen and Co.'s is a Chicago Metro Area leader in identifying and sourcing industrial and commercial sites across Chicagoland and the Midwest including brownfield and value-add properties with redevelopment potential. Reach out at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://vvco.com">vvco.com</a> or call 847-846-6902.</p><p></p><p>#BrownfieldDevelopment #CommercialRealEstate #RealEstate #RealFindsRealEstate #CRE #RealEstateInvesting #EnvironmentalConsulting #RealFindsPodcast</p>