A bright new future for abandoned steel works

In tackling remediation head on, Navistar made a serious commitment to both public health and the environment. In order to deliver on their commitments, Navistar entrusted Arcadis to restore the property and achieve regulatory closure, setting a high standard of cleanup and accountability to the community and all key stakeholders. The final remedy tailored to the end use, rendering the site safe for commercial or industrial redevelopment. Arcadis realized the extent of the problem: steelmaking and heavy equipment manufacturing since 1875 had left the area contaminated with heavy metals, toxic chemicals, and 70,000 cubic yards of slag from an on-site coke plant. The extent of the contamination would require many years of extensive remediation to meet the high standards set. However, years of waiting left the public mistrustful and unhappy about an extended timeframe before the property could be restored to commercial use for local business and jobs.

CLEANING UP, PIECE BY PIECE

Delivering restored land back to the community was a top priority, therefore, Arcadis collaborated with the stakeholders to systematically remediate the less contaminated parcels of land in order to achieve regulatory approval and release segments of the property for development. As parcels were remediated and sold off, they were developed and new, local businesses emerged. As work continued, trust was built and the community saw real results, reinforcing the commitment to restore this land to a beneficial reuse for the community.

After years of diligent efforts and coordinated restoration and redevelopment, the entire property was transformed for the community to attract and develop new business. Today, a facility that serves the regional petroleum industry occupies a portion of the site, providing jobs and returning the property to a valuable community asset. The remediation transformed the area on the verge of virtual desertion into a once-again productive site and a neighborhood on the rise.