It might take at least another year before the city of Marseilles can start cleaning up the Nabisco building or the old Washington School. Mayor Jim Hollenbeck says the city isn’t getting a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Brownfield grant. The city had and agreement with Fehr Graham Engineering to do a study that started last year. The grant would’ve helped with funding for lead abatement at Nabisco and asbestos removal from Washington School. Hollenbeck says he’s not giving up.
He was hoping the city would get a grant because the Biden Administration put more money into the grant program this year. Although disappointed, Hollenbeck says he’s not surprised. Both buildings have been sitting unused for the last twenty to thirty years. There was also a third building that was discussed but was never announced by the city because Hollenbeck had to talk to the owner about it. There were over 400 applications for grant funding, but only 267 projects were awarded around the U.S.
The former Washington School in Marseilles has sat unused for about 30 years.