Sterling to receive $500,000 grant to revitalize contaminated site

The City of Sterling will receive a $500,000 grant for a 3.5-acre site in the downtown area.

According to a release, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing the grant to revitalize the contaminated brownfield site. A brownfield site is land that has been contaminated by pollutants or hazardous materials and needs to be cleaned up to be able to be used. The funding will be used to remove hazardous materials from the site, which has five interconnected buildings. The buildings used to house Lawrence Brothers Hardware, and the site became contaminated by asbestos, lead-based paint, mercury, heavy metals and other substances.

“This grant will allow us to clean up the Lawrence Buildings, which are dilapidated but have some good bones and amazing architecture to pave the way for a new future for our city,” Sterling Mayor Diana Merdian said. “This grant will revitalize our area by allowing us to bring our first hotel in decades, which will, in turn, spur tourism growth and opportunities.”

“Too many communities in Central and Northwestern Illinois face the impacts of pollution from decades ago,” Congressman Eric Sorensen said. “I’m thrilled to join the Environmental Protection Agency to announce this funding to build up hard-hit areas and set up Sterling to be more successful economically for generations to come. This is what it means to be a good neighbor, to make sure that our communities are healthier and stronger.”

To support the economic growth of downtown Sterling, the grant will kickstart efforts to remove the hazardous waste and pollution to revitalize the area as part of Sterling’s riverfront redevelopment plan.