Johns Manville Plant in remediation stage of demolition

DENISON, Texas (KXII) - Denison is in the middle of a big step in a gateway renovation project. The Denison Development Alliance said you may start to see changes to the JM plant very soon.

“It will be a tool for us to create more industry, more investment, more jobs for the citizens of Denison,” said Denison Development Alliance President, Tony Kaai.

The Johns Manville Plant off Highway 75 near the border has been vacant and asbestos-ridden for nearly 3 decades. And at the top of Kaai’s to do list since he’s been DDA President for the last 20 years.

“The mission here is to remove all these buildings and clean this site up and redevelop it for future industry and investment,” said Kaai.

The JM Plant was purchased by the DDA in 2021, and they went straight to work.

“The remediation started a couple of weeks ago to fully clean this site back to dirt is about a 12 month process,” said Kaai.

Because the site is contaminated with the cancer agent, crews have to go step by step to safely clear the 400-acre plant. Steps like removing interior asbestos, old abandoned equipment and asbestos filled, exterior building panels.

“So everything will be gone and we’ll have a clean pad here when we’re finished. And that’s about 40 acres worth of work,” said Kaai.

It’s a $4.5 million project. A separate $3 million sewer project is also on the agenda at the plant.

“We will be issuing bonds for that amount of money and that’s how we’re gonna fund it and hopefully when it’s cleaned up, we’ll be marketing it in the meantime, that we will have some tenants to come in and maybe sell some property and recoup some of that money,” said Kaai.

Kaai said they hope to bring in warehouse distribution centers in addition to manufacturing plants.

“There’s a lot of interest in these kind of sites. We’re right on 75 it’s a great warehouse and distribution site,” said Kaai.