Crews dig in for cleanup of former gas station site

Project to include removal of contamination, building before village sells property

CREWS BEGAN REMOVING contaminated soil from the former Clark gas station property in Grafton on June 11. Community Development Director Jessica Wolff said the building, which has been vacant since 2016, will be razed after asbestos test results are completed. A large crater outside the building (bottom photo) shows the depth of contaminated soil. Photos by Sam Arendt
By 
JOE POIRIER
Ozaukee Press Staff

Work is underway to clean up the former Clark gas station property on Washington Street in the Village of Grafton.

Crews began removing contaminated soil Thursday, June 11, and demolition is pending based on asbestos testing results, Community Development Director Jessica Wolff told the Village Board on Monday.  

The gas station has been out of business since June 2016. The site is considered to be unsightly by village officials and residents, particularly because it has a prominent location at the corner of 12th Avenue and Washington Street.

The state Department of Natural Resources removed the fuel tanks from the site, but ground contamination was discovered, Village Administrator Jesse Thyes said.

In March, the Ozaukee County Board approved foreclosing on the property and allowing the village to take possession of it. The following month, the Grafton Community Development Authority agreed to enter into an agreement with the DNR for the village to clean and remediate the site and recommended the Village Board approve a tax cancellation agreement with the county to forgive $16,497 in back taxes.

Wolff said a Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award grant will cover the cost of removing gasoline contamination and conducting soil tests. The removal and demolition of the structure is expected to cost about $50,000, which is covered in the 2020 budget. She noted that the site likely contains asbestos, which will have to be removed.

The Village Board approved allocating $275,000 from its revolving loan fund to help cover other unexpected costs for the project and the reconstruction of 13th Avenue near Veterans Memorial Park between Washington and North streets.

Thyes said the village intends to sell the property after the contamination is cleaned up and the building razed but is not certain what the future use of the site will be.

“Our big emphasis right now is getting it cleaned up,” Thyes said. “There’s a dilapidated sign and there’s a dilapidated building that have to go away.”

Village President Jim Brunnquell said the former gas station is the final project to revitalize Grafton’s downtown business district.

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