(Photo courtesy of Phoenix)

Pueblo Viejo Fields has beds for herbs to grow.

Earlier this year, Phoenix celebrated the opening of its first "Brownfields to Healthfields" project.

Brownfields are often abandoned or closed properties that are overlooked for development because of contamination concerns. They can include former gas stations, landfills and manufacturing facilities. 

The city says it’s tried to develop an inventory of brownfield sites in targeted areas, but most sites are privately owned and the response has been minimal. The response has been more enthusiastic about a two-acre plot in the South Mountain area. After sitting vacant for years, it’s now home to the Pueblo Viejo Fields and Food Hub.

Rosanne Albright manages Phoenix’s environmental programs and described the city’s first Healthfields project right next door to a charter school.