Brownfield grant next step to fund Pillsbury plant demolition

The long abandoned Pillsbury plant in Springfield, Illinois, is one step closer to being torn down, thanks to efforts by the nonprofit Moving Pillsbury Forward and Fehr Graham.

Fehr Graham conducted a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment at the 18-acre site, which is one of the largest brownfield sites in central Illinois. The plant on Springfield's northeast side closed 21 years ago, and blight followed. The neighborhoods near Pillsbury are among the most impoverished in the City.

The Phase II ESA provides a roadmap for moving forward with demolition and remediation plans which will help breathe new life into the property and the neighborhood. Getting rid of asbestos, lead-based paint and other toxins will revitalize the land and prepare it for development.

"We want to make sure it's done right. We want to make sure it's done safely," Fehr Graham Professional Geologist Joel Zirkle told the State Journal-Register.

Read more about the project in the State Journal-Register.