Former Hardesty Federal Complex
The complex occupies approximately 18 acres of primarily commercial and light industrial land with multiple buildings. The surrounding area generally consists of mixed commercial, light industrial and residential land use.
The first building on the property was constructed in 1920 and included a power plant that supplied electrical power to the buildings located directly northwest of the property at the southeast corner of Independence and Hardesty.
During World War II, the site was used as the U.S. Army Kansas City Quartermaster Depot. The Depot opened Dec. 4, 1940, and served camps and stations in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, South Dakota and Utah. Operations included receiving and storing protective clothing, dry cleaning supplies, inks, lithographic chemicals, and petroleum products.
Between 1940 and 1943, 15 additional buildings were constructed on the property. Two other buildings were constructed after 1943.
The site was transferred to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in 1960. In 1980, buildings 1 and 2 were sold to Mega Space.
The remaining buildings housed several federal agencies until it was vacated in the early 2000s. In September 2011, the complex was sold through a public auction to Hardesty Economic Development Corporation, a Missouri non-profit corporation.
GSA retains environmental liability for sampling and remediation as part of the sale.
For several years, GSA has worked to investigate the source and the extent of the pollution in and around the site of the former federal complex. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources provides oversight at this facility under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or the Superfund Law.
The primary materials present in the groundwater are fuel and dry cleaning by-products, most likely due to operations during and immediately following World War II.
The facility once used several underground storage tanks. Some were used to hold petroleum products; others held cleaning solvents. Over time, the tanks deteriorated and fluids leaked into the soil and groundwater. It is the leaked material which is the current source of the groundwater pollution both on and off the site of the facility. The primary chemical that is present in the groundwater is trichloroethylene (TCE).
GSA is now entering the next phase of that investigative work, which includes more sampling of the soil and groundwater in the neighborhood. Additional sampling may include drilling into the ground near homes to collect groundwater samples.
GSA is committed to ensuring that any potential environmental concerns are addressed as quickly as possible. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will continue to provide oversight and assistance on the cleanup of the site.
If any testing results indicate a potential health concern, we will work with the environmental health experts and environmental regulators to find solutions, and we will communicate those concerns to the community immediately.
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