Since the 1980s, the former owner of the 4-acre abandoned gravel pit was filling it with undocumented soils without proper monitoring and compaction. Due to regulatory challenges, the owner decided to terminate the filling activities and called to see if Caleb would be willing the buy the property “as is”.

After discussions with the Village of Hartland, the property was acquired by Caleb in 2002. Drake successfully negotiated with the DNR for the site to be permitted as a “contractor’s disposal facility” and negotiated with village officials to allow the pit to be filled with an estimated 125,000 cubic yards of engineered soils to facilitate its future development. Prior to initiating the filling operations, Drake evaluated the characteristics of the existing materials in the pit, then implemented a restoration program to improve any inadequate soil conditions to avoid potential construction problems. Drake also monitored the placement and compaction of soils imported from several large construction projects in Milwaukee.

While the pit was being reclaimed, Caleb secured a buyer for the property. Following the completion of the filling activities, the property was sold and the developer constructed a 368-unit self storage facility.

The Village of Hartland was pleased with the restoration of a blighted and potentially dangerous property, along with the resulting increase in the property value from $45,000 to $3.8 million.