Alamosa Cleanup Project Wins $200,000 EPA Grant

ALAMOSA, Colo. (AP) - The Alamosa County Economic Development Corp. has won a $200,000 grant to help clean up the site of the former Pink Elephant and other businesses on Sixth Street.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the grant Wednesday as part of $62.5 million in brownfields funds it awarded to clean up and redevelop contaminated properties around the country.

Over the years, the Pink Elephant site downtown has served as a post office, jewelry store, candy store, tailor and boarding house. The EPA says the site's dilapidated buildings pose public safety concerns. The buildings also are contaminated with asbestos and lead.

The Alamosa County Economic Development Corp. plans to look at redeveloping the site as a retail or restaurant business once cleanup is complete.

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