The site is comprised of a 0.11-acre parcel of land and was likely undeveloped land until approximately 1916 when city records indicate a residence/retail building was first constructed on the Site (northern parcel). The northern parcel of the Site was occupied by a grocery and meat market from at least 1926 until approximately 1955 when a laundry facility began operations at the Site. In approximately 1962 dry cleaning operations began at the Site. Dry cleaning operations continued until approximately 2006. Information obtained from the City of Wauwatosa indicates that historic releases/spills of PCE occurred in the basement and ground surface surrounding the Site building on more than one occasion. The State of Wisconsin Circuit Court, Milwaukee County, court documents indicate that a holding tank, formerly located in the basement was used to collect solvents from the equipment at the Site and failed in the past, resulting in a release of solvent to the basement floor. The floor was reportedly in very poor condition at the time. Spills of solvents from other containers were also noted. Additionally, a former owner stated that cleaning solvents were used as a "weed killer" prior to 1974. In addition, the Site building was formerly heated with a fuel oil fueled boiler system. The fuel oil AST is still present in the basement of the building; however, it is no longer in use. The Site building is presently heated with a natural gas fueled system. The AST is situated on the basement floor that appears to be concrete; however the condition of the concrete is very poor. The fill and vent pipes for the AST have been observed on the exterior of the building (north side near the northwest corner).
Currently, the Site is developed with the two-story, approximately 2,346 square foot building, with a basement that was constructed in 1916. Various additions were constructed on the building in the following years. The Site is currently vacant; however, some equipment and chemicals and containers from the dry cleaning operations were abandoned in the building.
A Phase 1 and Phase 2 site investigation has been completed by the City of Wauwautosa through a contract with Symbiont. The reports are attached in the docuements section. The USEPA brownfields program provide a grant to the City of Wauwatosa to fund the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Site Assessment.
The Phase 2 sampling detected chlorinated solvents and the presence of containers, tanks, bagged chemicals in the building. AT that time the Wisconsin DNR was notified by the City of Wauwatosa and the site was then referred to USEPA removal branch for assessment for a time critical removal.
USEPA has initiated vapor intrusion sampling at the property and surrounding neighborhood. Soil vapor sampling was conducted at 10 locations in April of 2014. The results are being plotted on a map and will be reviewed with ATSDR to determine next steps for vapor intrusion sampling.
USEPA was granted access by the owner Mr. Ronald Collison in April of 2014. USEPA will conduct sampling on the south parcel of Vougue which is still owned by Mr. Collison. In addition, Mr. Collison has been asked to meet OSC Faryan on site to open the garage which is on the property, to verify if there are any hazardous materials or tanks in the garage. The sampling on Mr. Collisons's property is scheduled for the week of May 26, 2014.
