Cleanup to start this week on former Acme plant

7/1/2008

Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner on Tuesday said cleanup of the former Toledo Edison Acme Power Plant in East Toledo s planned Marina District development would commence this week.

Mr. Finkbeiner said the west wing of the building and a section referred to as boiler 16 would be torn down after asbestos removal this summer.

The city is using a $3 million Clean Ohio grant, which required a $1 million match from the city.

Asbestos remediation must occur before the section of the building can be torn down, the mayor said.

The city of Toledo hired Ecological Services of Toledo for $2.17 million to perform the asbestos abatement work. The sub-contractor is Homrich, Inc.

The city is demolishing the portions of the structure "that do not have historical significance," Mr. Finkbeiner said.

The brown brick portions of the building will remain and be incorporated into the $320 million commercial and residential development on 125 acres bounded by I-280, Front Street, Main Street, and the Maumee River.

The Marina District land has been cleared of environmental pollution, except for the decommissioned power plant. The city has built a marina, and the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority completed a $3.1 million marine passenger terminal for Great Lakes passenger ferries and cruise ships at the down river end of the site.

More than $9.35 million has already been spent to clean up the former power plant and the land.

That included removal of contaminated soil, removal of mercury contamination within the building, PCBs, asbestos, and some demolition necessary to get to the contamination.

Of that cleanup cost, $4.57 million was grant funding through the Ohio Department of Development.

The city accepted title to the Edison property in March, 2003, along with $4.3 million.

A new pedestrian-friendly "Riverfront Park at Toledo Marina District" is to take shape on the once heavily polluted site.