Full cleanup, demolition set for former Pillsbury Plant in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A major milestone has been reached in the effort to revitalize the former Pillsbury Mills site in Springfield.

Moving Pillsbury Forward (MPF) has officially signed contracts to fully clean up and demolish all remaining structures at the site within the next 12 months.

"The neighborhood, the 12,000 people that in within one mile of this site have needed this to happen for a number of years," said Chris Richmond, President of Moving Pillsbury Forward.

Select Demo Services, a company specializing in large-scale demolition and hazardous material removal, is set to begin this week. Their initial focus will be removing asbestos and lead paint chips, a process expected to run from April through early September. This phase of the project has been made possible through U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Cleanup Grants, which will also allow for the recycling of over 70,000 tons of concrete from the site's 160 silos, significantly reducing overall project costs.

Following the cleanup, Illinois-based contractor GreenTrac will take on the demolition and site rehabilitation. GreenTrac will mobilize equipment in late April. Their work is projected to continue through March 2026.

Fehr Graham Engineering & Environmental has been tapped to oversee site coordination and management, which includes extensive soil, water, and air sampling throughout the project.

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MPF has established a designated demolition viewing area along 15th Street in the former Pillsbury employee parking lot between Enterprise Street and Division Street. Volunteers will staff a field office in a 40-foot shipping container, provide seating, shade canopies, and bottled water on most weekdays. The space aims to serve as both an educational hub and a gathering place for residents to reflect on the site's history and future redevelopment.

While state and federal grants helped MPF reach it financial goal, the work of the neighborhood and the community kept the momentum. WAND News met Larry Franklin, who lives a block and a half from the site. He's also the current President of the Pillsbury Neighborhood Association.

"I'm glad to see it coming down," he said.

Franklin recently took over the position as President for the association after the sudden loss of it's former president John Keller. He said Keller would have been happy to see the day.

"I'm going to keep going forward for him," said Franklin.

Additionally, MPF is planning a public meeting to address community questions and provide updates on the project. This will be held on April 9th at 6 p.m. at Lanphier High School auditorium. The program will last until 7:30 p.m. and is an opportunity for the community to ask questions about the project.