Reclaiming Pillsbury Mills: Brownfield transformation brings community hope

For decades, the flour silos and crumbling buildings of the former Pillsbury Mills plant loomed over Springfield's north side – a symbol of lost jobs, economic decline and environmental risk. Once an industry hub, the 18-acre site sat vacant for nearly 25 years, bringing vandalism, crime and decay that weighed on the neighborhood and its 12,000 residents.

Built in the late 1920s, the plant changed hands several times before Cargill closed it in 2001. The abandoned complex included 20 buildings, flour silos, railyards, warehousing facilities and administrative offices. With each passing year, its blight grew more dangerous, tainted by asbestos, lead-based paint, contaminated soil and groundwater, and treated railroad ties.

Determined to spark change, former Springfield fire marshal Chris Richmond founded Moving Pillsbury Forward, a nonprofit grassroots organization, and bought the site for $1. The group chose Fehr Graham as its environmental partner to take on one of central Illinois' largest and most complex brownfield remediation projects.

Fehr Graham's environmental experts conducted Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) to identify contaminants across the site. The assessments revealed widespread environmental hazards, including asbestos in the buildings, asbestos paint on the silos and arsenic in soil. Our team developed specialized abatement and demolition plans, prioritizing safety for residents and minimizing the spread of dust and hazardous materials. We collaborated closely with the City of Springfield and the project's abatement contractor to find the safest, most cost-effective cleanup strategy.

Fehr Graham also helped Moving Pillsbury Forward secure over $5 million in funding, including two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cleanup grants, Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) grants, and additional support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).

Abatement began in April 2025 with removing asbestos containing building materials and asbestos paint from the silos. Demolition is slated for August 2025. Throughout the process, Fehr Graham continues to oversee environmental monitoring, including soil, water and air sampling. By combining environmental expertise, funding guidance and community-focused teamwork, Fehr Graham is helping turn this long-abandoned site into a catalyst for neighborhood renewal and opportunity.

AT A GLANCE
» Phase I and II ESAs.
» Site Remediation Program enrollment and reporting.
» Asbestos abatement planning.
» Demolition planning and bidding.
» Project oversight and owner representation.