Former Greenleaf Healthcare Facility (2022)

Built in 1935 as a nursing home, the facility operated as a 75-bed facility until it closed in 2012. Since then, the property sat vacant and began deteriorating, becoming a health and safety threat to the neighborhood and children walking to nearby Dodger Stadium and Cooper Elementary. The City of Fort Dodge acquired the abandoned property in 2016 under Iowa Code Chapter 657A.

Project Goals & Timeline

 While the end use of the property is yet to be determined, the immediate goal of the project is to permanently eliminate the potential exposure of asbestos to the public through full abatement of all asbestos containing materials (ACM). The City of Fort Dodge is also committed to protecting human health and the environment during remediation through air quality monitoring and proper disposal of all waste products.

​Planning for this project, which included developing a Community Involvement Plan, Quality Assurance Project Plan,  and other outreach materials began in late 2022.  Procurement for ACM abatement occurred in the Spring of 2023.

Remediation Cost

This brownfield project is considering two alternatives: full abatement of ACM and a “no action” option. Based on a previously completed ACM inspection of the property, which discovered 45 out of 175 different building materials were positive for asbestos, full abatement is estimated to cost over $260,000. This option permanently eliminates all human health risks and allows for the property to be safely redeveloped. Conversely, the “no action” alternative is estimated to cost $36,000 annually to keep the building secure. This option prohibits redevelopment and maintains existing exposure risks to residents and the environment.

Wahkonsa Annex Cleanup (2020)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the City of Fort Dodge a $500,000 Brownfields Cleanup Grant in 2020. Hazardous substances grant funds were used to clean up the Wahkonsa Annex at 908 1st Avenue South. Construction of the four-story Annex was completed in 1917 as an expansion of the original Wahkonsa Hotel, which was built in 1910. Another three stories were added to the complex in 1919, which increased the size of the Annex to over 134,000-square-feet. This site was contaminated with inorganic contaminants (asbestos).​

Community Participation

The City of Fort Dodge has appreciated past support of its brownfields redevelopment efforts and specifically this cleanup action by both stakeholders and the public.  The public  provided feedback pertaining to the cleanup during two meetings that were held in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.  A copy of the Community Involvement Plan (CIP) for this EPA-funded cleanup action can be obtained by contacting either of the Project Coordinators listed below.

Cleanup Alternatives Considered

Alternative #1 – No Action. This alternative included no remediation activities that would have been implemented at the Wahkonsa Annex. The “No Action” alternative did not include a means of mitigating or eliminating potential exposure to asbestos containing building materials during and following redevelopment. Therefore, the potential for human exposure would have continued to exist for future residents, construction workers, commercial workers and patrons.

​Alternative #2 – Full Abatement of Asbestos. This alternative utilized standard techniques to remove the ACM. ACM was  removed by a state certified asbestos abatement contractor and properly disposed at a licensed and permitted facility. After selection of this alternative, the Wahkonsa Annex building is now free of asbestos containing materials.

The Redevelopment Plan

Once cleaned up, the site will be ready for redevelopment in conjunction with the adjacent Warden Plaza. The City is actively seeking a developer for the Warden. The fate of the Wahkonsa Annex will be contingent upon the result of Warden Plaza.