Environmental remediation at the former Park Laundry site in downtown Ridgefield is complete, clearing the way for future redevelopment and revitalization. The city-owned portion of the property is now open for temporary off-street public parking.
The cleanup site, located at 122 N. Main Ave., Ridgefield, addressed contamination from tetrachloroethane (PCE), a solvent used at the dry cleaning business that operated on the site from 1965 to 1977.
Over 2,200 tons of contaminated soil were excavated and removed, and a chemical treatment was applied to the groundwater to break down remaining pollutants, a news release by the City of Ridgefield stated.
The City of Ridgefield secured more than $2 million in grant funding from the Washington Department of Ecology, along with $195,000 from the Department of Commerce, to complete the project, the news release stated.
While the site is now safer and available for redevelopment, no plans are currently in place. The area falls within the Central Mixed Use zone, which supports small-scale development aligned with Ridgefield’s historic downtown character.
For now, the city-owned southern lots are open for temporary public parking. Nearby unmarked lots to the north remain private property.
