Historically, the Amsterdam area was the home of numerous mills engaged in the manufacture of products from carpets to clothing to lumber and oils. Many mills were located on waterways in order to harness waterpower to drive their machinery.

For several years, the Town of Amsterdam had been concerned about the hazardous conditions and potential contamination at the old Pioneer Street Mill. The former textile mill, located in a residential area on the banks of the Chuctanunda Creek, had been constructed in 1871, but had been abandoned by the early 2000s. By late 2008, the approximately 29,000 square foot building was in a severe state of deterioration and  in danger of collapse. Limited sampling showed the presence of friable asbestos-containing materials. Further, it was known that the building contained drums full of unknown waste materials that could threaten the safety of neighbors and the health of the creek.

The Town engaged Delaware Engineering to study the facility and to pursue available funding options for building demolition, site remediation and potential reuse. Delaware researched the history of the facility and prepared a successful grant application that resulted in the Town being awarded 90% of the costs to investigate and remediate the hazardous contamination on the site, and 50% of the cost of demolition and site restoration. The Town then retained Delaware to provide grant administration and the professional engineering and planning services for this project, including bid documents, bid assistance, and construction-phase activities, including inspection and oversight. Lastly, Delaware provided soil clean-up and soil gas sampling at the conclusion.