Lakefront Remediation Work Begins Next Month

Within a few weeks, crews will start removing concrete slabs and select areas of trees, treating soils and excavating along part of the bluff as remediation starts on two key Oak Creek lakefront properties.

The remediation work will begin in earnest in early November at 9180 S. 5th Ave. and 4240 E. Ryan Road and continue until winter weather suspends work until spring, Oak Creek officials said in a news release. Preliminary work, such as grass mowing, is already under way.

The city will present updated information on lakefront progress at an open house scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 30 in the council chambers of Oak Creek City Hall, 8640 S. Howell Ave.

The owners of the properties at 9180 S. 5th Ave. and 4240 E. Ryan Road — DuPont and EPEC, respectively — are choosing a contractor to begin work on remediation plans, according to the news release. Those are two of the larger properties in the lakefront redevelopment area.

When cleanup is completed and approved by regulatory agencies, ownership of the properties will transfer to Oak Creek, which will proceed with implementing its lakefront redevelopment plan. A public park is expected to be one of the first components to be constructed.

The land is in need of heavy environmental work because of its long history of manufacturing operations. Cleanup has been one of the biggest hurdles in the city's years-long quest to open the lakefront up to the public.