Former HMS building asbestos removal EPA Brownfield Grant informational meeting Sept. 10, 2026

The City of Hastings, Nebraska held an informational meeting on September 10, 2026, regarding the EPA Brownfield Grant awarded for asbestos removal at the former Hastings Middle School building. The city received a $495,000 grant to clean up hazardous asbestos materials in the building, with Environmental Services Incorporated contracted to perform the removal. Bids for the cleanup came in under $200,000, allowing flexibility to address any additional asbestos discovered during the process using pre-established unit prices. Cleanup is scheduled to begin in late September 2026 and conclude by early December 2026, with redevelopment planned for 2027 by Queen City Development, which intends to convert the site into 68 apartment units. The meeting also addressed questions about grant fund usage, asbestos identification, and potential future remediation during redevelopment phases.