Former Pillsbury Mills facility steps closer to demolition

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The former Pillsbury Mills facility is steps closer to being demolished.

Moving Pillsbury Forward acquired the property and now the organization will move into the next phase of the project, which will focus on site safety and security, along with needed environmental testing. The group celebrated the transition from the acquisition phase on Wednesday.

"This is exciting and a great relief," said Polly Poskins, vice president of Moving Pillsbury Forward.

The property was developed in 1929 and at one point employed 1,500 workers. In 1991, Pillsbury Mills sold the plant to Cargill, according to Moving Pillsbury Forward. In 2008, Cargill sold the plant for scrap and large portions of the facility were "urban mined", the organization reported.

"It's really been a tragic story for the last 15 years or so here at the site," explained Chris Richmond, president of Moving Pillsbury Forward.

The organization has plans to begin work right away on making the area safe and secure. In the coming weeks, organizers will remove unwanted vegetation and begin opening site lines. They remind the community the site is dangerous and people should adhere to the no trespassing signs posted along the fence.