In November 2020, DeSales took legal action against the property owners under Missouri’s Abandoned Property Act, with the help of Legal Service of Eastern Missouri. In 2021, the Missouri Circuit Court granted DeSales access to assess the building’s condition, revealing the urgent need for intervention. It was determined that the best way to move forward was to team up with the EPA to safely remove the hazardous materials.
With much of the roof collapsing in, it was also revealed that there were many barrels of suspect chemicals. In 2022, the EPA worked to remove over 10,000 gallons of hazardous liquid from the site. The EPA estimated the cost of the removal at $1.3 million.
