An 18.2-acre former manufacturing complex on Chicago’s Ashland Avenue, known as the former Wrigley complex, presented significant environmental and engineering challenges as it underwent rapid redevelopment into an Amazon distribution center. Decades of industrial operations left behind complex site conditions, including documented and undocumented underground storage tanks, abandoned industrial sewers, hazardous waste storage areas, waste piles, and multiple recognized environmental conditions (RECs). The project required accelerated investigation, remediation, regulatory coordination, and risk management to maintain an aggressive construction schedule.
Solution
Andrews Engineering, a wholly owned subsidiary of Geo-Logic Associates, led a comprehensive site investigation and remediation strategy, developing a facility management plan to identify, assess, and address environmental risks during ongoing demolition activities. Our team identified and characterized five distinct categories of RECs through extensive soil, groundwater, and soil vapor investigations, uncovering previously unknown underground storage tanks (USTs) and a contaminated abandoned sewer network.
Working within Illinois EPA’s Tiered Approach to Corrective Action Objectives (TACO) framework, Andrews developed remediation objectives, prepared continuously updated cost estimates, secured environmental permits, and coordinated with the City of Chicago, Illinois EPA, State Fire Marshal, and utility providers. To overcome schedule constraints associated with residual volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination, our engineers performed a feasibility study and designed an innovative sub-slab depressurized membrane system beneath a 112,000-square-foot warehouse. The building control technology solution was approved by the IEPA Site Remediation Program (SRP) and successfully integrated into the redevelopment plan.
Throughout remediation activities, Andrews also provided on-site health and safety planning, monitoring, and technical oversight to protect workers and maintain project momentum.
Results
The redevelopment advanced on schedule despite the site’s complex environmental conditions. Andrews secured regulatory approval for Tier II and Tier III corrective action demonstrations, completed all documentation required under the Illinois EPA SRP, and guided the project through final closure. The Illinois EPA issued a No Further Remediation (NFR) Letter, clearing the path for successful redevelopment of the former industrial property into a productive commercial asset.
“Complex brownfield sites demand more than environmental compliance. They require creative engineering solutions that balance risk, schedule, and redevelopment goals. By combining rigorous site investigation with practical remediation design, our team helped transform a highly challenging property into a successful development ready for long-term use.” – Andrews Project Manager
