During January, the Town of Montague continued making steady progress on the Strathmore Mill Cleanup project, with a focus on on-site investigations, coordination with abutting property owners, and advancing the technical groundwork needed for demolition and cleanup planning.
The Town’s engineering consultant, Tighe & Bond, conducted multiple days of on-site work in mid-January, accompanied by their survey and structural teams. This work included property surveying, expanded site access, and inspections of several mill buildings. Crews accessed additional areas of the site, including riverside portions and the area near the former Indeck facility at 8 Canal Road, allowing for more complete documentation of existing conditions. Inside Building 11, consultants began asbestos and hazardous materials surveys and observed significantly deteriorated conditions, including widespread water infiltration likely caused by long-standing roof leaks. Similar pre-demolition survey work also began in other main mill areas.
January’s work also included early planning for material sampling related to a Beneficial Use Determination (BUD), which helps determine how certain demolition materials may be safely reused or managed. At the same time, Tighe & Bond continued internal coordination on the preparation of future contract documents and scheduling. Looking ahead, the project team is targeting February for an on-site meeting and walkthrough with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to continue regulatory coordination and confirm next steps.
The Town will continue to provide updates as this work progresses and as the project moves further into permitting and demolition planning phases.
Why This Matters
The work completed in January is a critical step toward safely addressing long-standing environmental and structural hazards at the Strathmore Mill site. On-site surveys and inspections allow engineers and regulators to better understand building conditions, identify hazardous materials, and plan demolition in a way that protects public health, the river, and neighboring properties. This behind-the-scenes work may not look like much for those eagerly awaiting cleanup of the site, but it is essential to ensuring that future demolition activities are carried out safely, responsibly, and in compliance with state and federal requirements.
For more information, please visit the project webpage.
Posted: to General Montague News on Thu, Jan 29, 2026
Updated: Thu, Jan 29, 2026
