By Paul Thompson

Northeast News

December 14, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The Hardesty Renaissance Economic Development Corporation (HREDC) will seek public comment on Wednesday, December 14 regarding the impending cleanup of Building 9 at the Hardesty Federal Complex (607 Hardesty).

Beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the North-East Public Library (6000 Wilson), representatives from HREDC and the City of Kansas City, Missouri will provide time and space for the public to comment on the proposed clean-up efforts, which are under consideration for funding through Environmental Protection Agency grants. The EPA has set aside funds for clean-up efforts at contaminated properties such as the Hardesty Federal Complex – those properties are known as “Brownfields.”

During the Dec. 14 meeting with the public, HREDC Director Charlie Hopper will bring along the “Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives,” or ABCA, for the public to consider. According to the HREDC, the clean-up of Building 9 “is intended to remove contamination and prepare the building for renovation as a food related commercial space.”

“I will have the ABCA, which explains what’s in the building, I will have the draft proposal that will be submitted to the EPA for the funds, and I will have some images of the building,” said Hopper.

Similar clean-up efforts have already been conducted at Building 11 of the Hardesty Federal Complex site; the HREDC recently received a final letter of clearance for that structure. Building 10 is the next target of clean-up efforts, as workers are expected to begin removing asbestos, repairing lead-containing paint, and removing lead dust in March of 2017. HREDC will be accepting bids for the Building 10 clean-up efforts sometime in February, and the scope of work is expected to be completed next summer.

If progress continues as hoped on Building 9, those clean-up efforts are expected to be completed in early 2019. While HREDC cleans up the structures, the General Services Administration (GSA) is concurrently working on cleaning up the grounds of the Hardesty Federal Complex. The GSA is aiming to complete its work and reactivate the site for potential commercial use by the summer of 2019.

Although there is still plenty left to accomplish at the site, Hopper indicated that there are already businesses inquiring about moving into the complex once it’s ready.

“We can’t open it up completely to the public until everything is remediated. There’s multiple steps to remediation,” said Hopper. “Technically, right now, we can start in Building 11. We’ve got a couple of manufacturers who want to come in now.”

The public is also invited to stop by the HREDC offices (5401 Independence Ave.) during regular business hours to review HREDC’s grant proposal to the EPA, comment on the various cleanup options for the Hardesty Federal Complex, or check out environmental investigation reports. To make arrangements for viewing, contact Charlie Hopper at (573) 415-6394.