The Chicago Architecture Blog is reporting that the developer of 435 North Park has halted construction due to soil contamination. Whether or not the developer foresaw the delay, the EPA has stepped in to help seal and remove radioactive hotspots on the future site of an SCB-designed 54-story tower. You see, the Lindsay Light Company once occupied this spot, and, not being fully aware of the dangers of Thorium-232, they left a cumulative 40,000 tons of the radioactive metal buried in the ground. It's a common affair with sites in Streeterville but the cleanup is arduous, requiring continuous testing and bundling of bad soil. Remediation must be complete before the real construction can begin. [Chicago Architecture Blog, previously]
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