Pacific Plaza

Environmental cleanup is complete at the site, and the periodic review in 2019 shows that cleanup work remains effective in protecting the health of people and the environment.

After cleanup, some petroleum contaminated soil remained on the site. To prevent exposure to that contamination, a restrictive covenant was filed for the site in 2013. The covenant restricts property use and requires maintenance of a pavement cap to eliminate exposure to contaminated soil.

When an environmental covenant exists for a cleanup site, Ecology reviews site conditions at least every five years to ensure long-term effectiveness of the cleanup action.

Based on Ecology's inspection of the site on May 23, 2018, the Plaza building and asphalt cover and/or concrete sidewalk on the City's right-of-way continue to eliminate exposure to contaminated soils. 

From January 3 to February 3, 2019, Ecology held a comment period to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on conditions at the site. No comments were received and Ecology finalized the periodic review report.

The Pacific Plaza Garage entirely occupies the approximately 0.2 acre site.  The building is a multi-level parking garage and office space. The site is located among urban commercial and business properties.  The building was constructed in the 1970s.  Later remodeling revealed an underground storage tank (UST) on the property.

Investigators found that the UST had leaked and contaminated nearby soil with diesel and heavy oil petroleum hydrocarbons. Groundwater contamination and volatile organic compounds were not a concern at the site.

Pacific Plaza Garage cleaned up the site under Ecology's Voluntary Cleanup Program.

In 2008, Pacific Plaza Garage:

• Removed the UST, 700 gallons of liquid petroleum products, and 100 gallons of sludge.
• Excavated, removed, and disposed of 472 tons of contaminated soil.

After cleanup, soil samples collected at the site indicated that all but two localized areas were below petroleum cleanup levels. Excavation of more soil from the two remaining contaminated areas was limited by the location of the garage's structural foundation columns and the Pacific Ave right-of-way.  The localized pockets of petroleum contaminated soil were left in place and covered by asphalt/concrete pavement to eliminate people's contact with contaminated soils.

In 2013, Ecology removed the Pacific Plaza Garage site from the Hazardous Sites list after holding a public comment period.