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Conn Band Instruments

 
Site Contact:
Emily Byrnes
On-Scene Coordinator

(byrnes.emily@epa.gov)

Site Location:
1101 East Beardsley Ave
Elkhart, IN 46514
 response.epa.gov/ConnBandInstruments

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency removed lead-contaminated soil at the property of the former Conn Band Instruments facility.

During the cleanup, EPA excavated, treated and transported lead-contaminated soil off-site for proper disposal. Workers followed strict rules to keep nearby roads and properties free from contaminated soil and debris.

EPA completed the work in June 2026.

Background

The Conn Band Instruments site is at 1101 East Beardsley Ave. in Elkhart, Indiana. The property is an empty lot on 10 acres of land.

Conn Band Instruments was at one time the largest instrument manufacturing facility in the world. It stopped operations in 1978. The city acquired the property in 2019 and demolished the remaining structure. The city is redeveloping the property through a Brownfields grant. Brownfields projects put previously contaminated properties back into productive use.

The city discovered high levels of lead in the soil and requested EPA assistance in 2025.


Final excavation area of grids F6 and F7 Active loading of excavation area. Depth up to 24 ERRS contractor loading directly from excavation area Excavator removing soil for stockpiling and disposal. Surveying equipment next to a waste staging area. Air sampling and air monitoring equipment.