In a new report from KMOV “the old Carter Carburetor building in north St. Louis is an eyesore that’s full of cancer-causing chemicals – and it may finally come down, thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency.”
Yippee!
“The contaminated site sits right across the street from the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club.”
Hooray!
_“_Clean up comes with a $26 million price tag.”
(Cues cricket sound)…
As seen above, the site in questions has sat vacant for 25 years and once employed hundreds of St. Louisans. It’s a sweet reminder of local commerce and the successes of a once small local business. Right?
When asked for a comment Flint Fowler, president of the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club said
It’s a distraction and deterrent to any further development–and it’s the kind of place that attracts vagrants.
How dare you sir! To allude that vagrants are attracted to cancer ridden buildings is an insult and a stab at our great American culture. Real American vagrants are well aware that the only place to live truly like a vagrant is behind the Mills Mall near Hazlewood. Now that’s good eatin’!
So how do we demolish and clean up this abomination in regards to citizens safety?
Karl Brooks, regional administrator for the EPA says clean up is a complicated project.
There’s a lot of different forms of pollution that require some pretty technical approaches to it. The EPA wants to burn off cancer-causing chemicals underground. The vapors will then be captured, and the soil will be trucked off to an approved landfill.
When reached for comment the EPA mentioned that the approved landfill is the currently the undeveloped mess that is next to Busch Stadium.
We are looking down the barrel of a $26 million price tag, and we are waiting until the nation and St. Louis’ economy are in dire straits to bring this to light? The owner says he feels the building can be rehabbed:
“I would like to see this building resurrected” said Tom Kerr. “I don’t think it’s that complicated.”
…he said on his way to Forest Park to bury his collection of plastic bottles and syringes.
The Old Willco Plastics building will be left largely in tact once harmful material like asbestos is removed. But the EPA says the main building, Carter Carburetor Inc, must come down.
Kerr says he has a buyer for the building that he says would bring as many as 600 jobs to the community once the property is given the all-clear. Meanwhile the EPA has high hopes to start the clean-up process within one calendar year.
Moral of the story? Stay the fuck away from that Boys and Girls club!
via KMOV