Wahkonsa Annex Cleanup

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the City of Fort Dodge a $500,000 Brownfields Cleanup Grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be 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 is contaminated with inorganic contaminants (asbestos).​

Components of the Project

  •  Project Coordination
  •  Community Outreach
  •  Cleanup Planning
  •  Site Cleanup 

Cleanup Alternatives Considered

  • Alternative #1 – No Action:  signifies that no remediation activities would be implemented at the Wahkonsa Annex. The “No Action” alternative does 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 continue to exist for future residents, construction workers, commercial workers and patrons.
  • Alternative #2 – Full Abatement of ACM (asbestos containing material): would utilize standard techniques to remove the ACM. ACM would be removed by a state certified asbestos abatement contractor and properly disposed at a licensed and permitted facility. The Wahkonsa Annex building would be free of asbestos containing materials with this alternative. 

The Redevelopment Plan

Once cleaned up the site is planned to be redeveloped into the City’s new 500-stall Intermodal Hub that will connect the redeveloped Warden Plaza Building located to the west with the Recreation-Healthy Life Center located to the east, providing much needed parking for these multi-use facilities. The Intermodal Hub will span over South 10th Street accommodating sheltered drop-off and pick-up for the City’s bus service for the Recreation-Healthy Life Center. The five-story HUB will also provide additional parking for downtown businesses and serve as the central location for a community-wide bike-sharing system. The Intermodal Hub will also allow access to both bicycles and vehicle electric charging stations. The Intermodal Hub is projected to reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled each year by a staggering 686,017 miles. That reduction of vehicle miles traveled will translate into reduced wear on local road systems, longer lasting vehicles, and less fuel consumption. 
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Cleanup Schedule

The request for bids is anticipated to go to City Council on April 27, 2020; with cleanup starting in the summer of 2020. 
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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 will have the opportunity to find out more about the project as well as provide feedback pertaining to the cleanup action over the course of two meetings to be held in City Council Chambers at City Hall, 819 1st Avenue South, Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501.  The  dates for these meetings are to be determined but please check back to this website for updated postings providing specific dates and times.  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.

Project Coordinators

City of Fort Dodge:

Vickie L. Reeck
Community and Economic Development Director
Development Services
515-576-4551, Extension 1243
vreeck@fortdodgeiowa.org
www.fortdodgeiowa.org
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Environmental Consultant:

Ryan Peterson
Project Manager
Impact7G, Inc.
515-473-6256
Fax: 515-528-8005
rpeterson@impact7g.com 
www.impact7g.com
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