Four Different Cities, Four Different Grants

              The Illinois Brownfields Redevelopment Grant Program offers grants worth
a maximum of $120,000 each to municipalities.
Grants may be used to perform environmental site assessments, develop
cleanup objectives, and prepare cleanup plans at brownfields properties.
Municipalities must share in any grant award through a 30 percent match
and are required to spend down the grant in three years.
As demonstrated by the following four examples, cities throughout the
state can initiate and support brownfields cleanup and redevelopment
projects that the private sector would not undertake on its own.
East Moline
The City of East Moline partnered with a nonprofit
corporation, Revitalize and Develop East Moline
(REDEEM), to prepare a redevelopment plan for the
central business district and sites along the Mississippi
River. Through implementation of this plan, they hope
to generate a new tax base, introduce new jobs, and
improve public health and safety.
The brownfields grant is specific to one 14.5 acre parcel
of land within the redevelopment project area, located
between the river and the John Deere Harvester Plant Works. Using grant dollars, the City of East Moline
enrolled the site into the Illinois EPA’s Site Remediation Program, conducted a site investigation, and
submitted a Remedial Objectives Report and Remedial Action Plan. The cleanup itself is being paid for by
REDEEM. The Site Remediation Program has issued three No Further Remediation Letters, one each for
lots 3, 4, and 5 within the 14.5 acre parcel. A final grant report will likely be submitted later this year.
Future use of the property will include a public waterfront, a waterfront restaurant, 54 units of residential
condominiums, and 60,000 square feet of office space.
City population: 20,147
Grant amount: $120,000.00
Match commitment: Met with funds from a
U.S. EPA assessment pilot grant previously awarded
to the City of East Moline and REDEEM.
City grant manager: Director of Development
Services
Date of grant application: Sept. 28, 1998
Date of grant agreement: Jan. 14, 1999
Former use of site: Vacant parcel of larger
industrial area
Site Owner: John Deere Harvester Works Plant;
the property is slated for transfer to the city and its
cooperative partner REDEEM.
Four Different Cities, Four Different Grants
I l l i n o i s Bureau of Land June 2000
Environmenta l 1021 North Grand Avenue East
Protection Agency Springfield, IL 62794-9276
Future site of residential condominiums
To encourage retail and commercial development on its west side, the City of Macomb applied for
brownfields grant funds to assess an old corner gas station for environmental contamination. The station
building and the above and below ground storage tanks were removed nearly 20 years ago. Niemann Foods
purchased the site in 1986, intending to relocate a downtown Macomb supermarket there, but decided
against moving the business and subsequently put the property up for sale.
The City of Macomb and Niemann Foods are working together on
this project for their mutual benefit. Niemann Foods is providing
nearly all of the required financial match and will assume
responsibility for the cleanup, if one is needed. The city is using
grant funds to pay for a soil and groundwater investigation, entry
into the Site Remediation Program, and preparation of the Remedial
Objectives Report and Remedial Action Plan.
A franchise food service establishment has expressed interest in the
site.
Macomb
City population: 20,129
Original grant amount: $36,337.00
Grant amendment: Increased grant award by
$15,064.00 for a total grant amount of $52,401.00
Match commitment: Met primarily with funds
from the site owners
City grant manager: Community Development
Coordinator
Date of grant application: April 7, 1999
Date of grant agreement: June 7, 1999
Date of grant amendment: April 5, 2000
Former use of sites: Gas station, dry cleaners
Site Owners: For the gas station, Niemann Foods;
for the dry cleaners, James and Antoinette Boblak.
Recently, the City of Macomb requested a grant amendment to begin
work on a second property, a former drycleaning facility located in a
declining residential neighborhood. The drycleaners ceased operating
20 years ago; the dilapidated building now houses a carpenter’s shop.
Macomb officials have received many complaints about the condition of
the drycleaners. The owner is willing to sell the property to the city
for demolition, but the city is wary of purchasing the property without
knowing whether it is environmentally contaminated.
The owners, James and Antoinette Boblak, agreed to partner with the city in applying for brownfields grant
funds to assess the site. The Boblaks will be responsible for providing most of the required financial match
and all remedial work, if necessary. The city will use grant funds to investigate the site, enroll the
drycleaners into the Site Remediation Program, and prepare the Remedial Objectives Report and Remedial
Action Plan.
The city intends to purchase the property, demolish the building, and resell the property for residential
purposes.
Former gas station
Old drycleaning facility
Former commercial sites within the Triangle Properties
La Grange
Triangle redevelopment project
City population: 15,362
Grant amount: $120,000.00
Match commitment: Met
with a combination of funds. The
village will use its Tax Increment
Financing Fund, its General Fund,
and in-kind services. The
remainder of the match comes
from the Western Illinois
Municipal Conference, which
shared brownfields grant dollars it
received from U.S. EPA.
City grant manager:
Community Development
Coordinator
Date of grant application:
Oct. 13, 1999
Date of grant agreement:
Nov. 24, 1999
Former use of sites:
Automobile repair facility, gas
station, dry cleaners, and other
commercial enterprises.
Site Owners: Various private
property owners
The Village of La Grange has begun investigating a 5.7 acre area consisting of multiple industrial and
commercial sites near its downtown center. Prioritized for redevelopment by village leaders, the area is
called “Triangle Properties.”
La Grange is using brownfields grant dollars to sample the soil and groundwater at these sites, establish
cleanup objectives, and develop remedial action plans as needed.
Of the 12 properties within the redevelopment area, two are currently participating in the Leaking
Underground Storage Tank program; two other sites are already enrolled in the Site Remediation Program.
The remaining individual property owners will likewise be responsible for cleanup of their sites if necessary.
When complete, Triangle Properties will contain a supermarket and a mix of retail shops. The Village of La
Grange intends for these new businesses to revitalize its downtown commercial area, increase property and
sales tax revenues, provide additional employment opportunities, and improve the neighborhood’s
appearance.
Harrisburg
For More Information
Office of Brownfields Assistance
Bureau of Land
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
1021 North Grand Avenue East
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
217-785-9407
www.epa.state.il.us
(Land > Cleanup Programs > Brownfields Assistance)
Small Street Properties “B” and “C”
City population: 9,318
Grant amount: $39,706.00
Match commitment: Met with funds
and in-kind services from the City of
Harrisburg
City grant manager: Administrative
Assistant for Harrisburg
Date of grant application:
Sept. 27, 1999
Date of grant agreement:
Nov. 17, 1999
Former use of sites: Railroad
property, formerly consisting of tracks,
buildings, switch systems, and other rail yard
equipment.
Site Owner: The City of Harrisburg,
which acquired both parcels of property in
1993 from the Southern Railroad
Corporation.
The City of Harrisburg sought a grant from Illinois EPA to
investigate two properties known as Small Street
Properties “B” and “C.” Both properties operated as
railroad service yards for most of the twentieth century.
Small Street Property “B” consists of 19.2 acres and Small
Street Property “C” is nearly 5 acres. The city purchased
these sites to redevelop them into an industrial park.
Small Street Properties “B” and “C” are located in an area
with new businesses, jobs, and revenue growth. Another
nearby parcel of former rail yard property has already
been cleaned up under the Site Remediation Program and
redeveloped for commercial business use, including two
medical offices.
The city enrolled properties “B” and “C” into the Site
Remediation Program prior to applying for a brownfields
redevelopment grant. The city also successfully applied
for an Economic Development Act Grant to build a 1,000
foot concrete road along with water and sewer lines at
the sites.
Small Street Properties “B” and “C” will be developed
upon issuance of No Further Remediation letters from
the Site Remediation Program.
Two local companies, each employing about 100 people,
have expressed interest in relocating their businesses to
the proposed industrial park.