Work will continue this year on a massive project to demolish buildings and clean away contamination at a former tire factory in western Massachusetts.
The city council in Chicopee has authorized spending almost $2.9 million to demolish up to five more buildings at the former Uniroyal factory.
That will leave just four of the original 21 buildings standing.
Mayor Richard Kos said since 2009 the city has received over $2.4 million from the EPA to clean up the Uniroyal site and adjacent Facemate textile mill.
"Getting these grants each year allowed us to continue to move more and more property and get more and more property cleaned and reeady for use," Kos said last July when the city was awarded a total of $600,000 from the EPA's brownfields cleanup program.
Part of the once-polluted property has been redeveloped as a senior center. And,plans were announced last year to build an assisted living apartment complex next door.
