EPA, IDEM and City Officials Visit Former Conn Band Instruments Site in Elkhart Ahead of Cleanup

March 17, 2026

CHICAGO (March 17, 2026) - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Anne Vogel was joined by Indiana Department of Environmental Management Commissioner Clint Woods and Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson to tour the former Conn Band Instruments site in Elkhart, Indiana, ahead of an impending soil cleanup project.

Starting in April, EPA will remove lead-contaminated soil from the site, located at 1101 E. Beardsley Ave. The project is expected to take 2-3 months.

"This is what partnership between federal, state and local governments looks like-EPA, IDEM and the City of Elkhart working together to protect people and deliver results," said EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel. "By removing lead-contaminated soil, we're setting the stage for the city to return this historic property to productive use for residents and businesses."

"Thanks to the attention and collaboration of local, state, and federal government, this cleanup will allow the community to safely reclaim this historic site," said IDEM Commissioner Clint Woods. "When contamination is addressed quickly and responsibly, it creates a sustainable pathway for redevelopment."

During the cleanup, crews will secure the site, excavate lead-contaminated soil and transport it for proper disposal. The city will backfill excavated areas with clean soil and plant vegetative cover to prevent erosion. Residents may notice increased truck traffic in the area during working hours. EPA will conduct monitoring and dust suppression measures to prevent lead from migrating from the site.

In the late 1800s, Charles G. Conn founded what was once the largest musical instrument manufacturer in the world. From 1978 to 2012, the site was owned by various recreational vehicle companies. The city demolished the remaining structure after receiving the property via tax sale in 2019.

In 2023, the city initiated a cleanup of the site and discovered lead contamination. The city requested assistance in April 2025 and in July 2025 EPA confirmed lead contamination at the site was above the agency's cleanup level.

For more information about the response visit EPA's Conn Band Instruments website.

The soil removal project at the Conn Band Instruments site is one of several EPA cleanups in Elkhart. For more information, see the agency's EPA Sites In Elkhart, Indiana website.

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