By AARON MUELLER
Niles Daily Star

Consider it another hoop jumped through in the process of getting the long-abandoned Eastgate Plaza torn down.

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners approved the hiring of Villa Environmental Consultants to search the property in Niles Township for asbestos, mercury and other contaminants at a meeting Thursday.

The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority will pay the environmental firm no more than $6,475 for the study.

The results of the required study will determine how much it will cost to raze the building. Township supervisor Jim Kidwell has said estimates have come in between $72,000 and $350,000. The amount of contaminants will play a factor in just how much the township will have to pay.

A hearing in early March to give the township access to the property was postponed until April 13 to make sure Eastgate’s owner MoorPark Associate LLC, of Van Nuys, Calif. had received proper notice of the hearing.

Even though the township does not have access to the property yet, the hiring of the environmental consultant is not premature, according to Kidwell.

He expects that MoorPark will not attempt to block the plans to demolish the building or even show up to the hearing at Berrien Count Trial Court.

The township board has been hurried to get rid of Eastgate by residents and business owners who see the old building as a community eye sore and hotspot for vandalism and mischief.

Kidwell said recently he hopes to have the building torn down by the end of this summer.