Gov. Pritzker celebrates plans for former Pillsbury plant site
A longtime vacant symbol of Springfield's industrial past is on its way to becoming a cornerstone of community renewal. Gov. JB Pritzker Thursday to celebrate Moving Pillsbury Forward's progress to clean up and redevelop the former Pillsbury Mills site at 1525 E. Phillips Ave.
Pritzker announced that Illinois will commit $31.5 million in capital funding and planning grants toward the Regional Site Readiness Program. The program helps fund infrastructure improvement projects, including at sites like the former Pillsbury Mills property, that lead to economic renewal across the state. This investment will revitalize and strengthen communities, bringing good-paying jobs and creating vibrant neighborhoods.
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What folks can see here is a physical representation of our past. For too long, state government has neglected to build for the future or to give communities the tools they need. Thanks to the vision and work of concerned citizens, we got organized to bring about change. This site will be transformed from an eyesore to an opportunity. Operations are underway to remediate and demolish this abandoned site to build an engine of growth. This is a transformational first step on the way to attracting more good jobs for the community and growth for all of Springfield.” |
Gov. JB Pritzker
Once a bustling grain mill and manufacturing hub, the 18-acre site operated from 1929 to 2001 and once held 20 buildings. After operations stopped, the property fell into disrepair, and contamination from asbestos, lead-based paint and other industrial materials contaminated the soil, groundwater and railroad ties.
A community group concerned about the site's conditions and their impact on surrounding neighborhoods formed the nonprofit Moving Pillsbury Forward in 2020. The organization purchased the property with a mission to clean it up and position it for development.
To support that effort, Moving Pillsbury Forward hired Fehr Graham to conduct environmental site assessments and enroll the site in a remediation program to identify contaminants and guide safe abatement and demolition. Several structures, including the Grocery Mix building and an old smokestack, were demolished in the past month. Remaining buildings are scheduled for demolition next year, clearing the way for redevelopment. Fehr Graham will continue to work alongside demolition crews to monitor soil, water and air quality, ensuring nearby residents remain protected as the project progresses.
"The Pillsbury project has been a massive undertaking, and we would not have succeeded without the support and great leadership of so many of you," said Moving Pillsbury Forward President Chris Richmond. "We came together as a community. We put together a five-year plan and took a series of actions that ultimately resolved the legal and environmental challenges of the site and actions that are setting the stage for renewal, all with the community-centered purpose of bringing opportunity back to the area. We're aimed at bringing a manufacturer to reuse the site and utilize the railyard next door to bring jobs and economic opportunity, putting the site back into production for the community. That's our purpose. With a little help from our friends here today, we're going to do just that."
For the past two years, Fehr Graham also helped Moving Pillsbury Forward secure more than $5 million in funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Congressionally Directed Spending programs. This funding support was critical to transform the site to support Springfield's future.
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