While the Saints' new ballpark continues to rise in downtown St. Paul, plans for their old stadium in the city's Midway neighborhood got a significant boost Tuesday from the state.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $4.16 million in pollution cleanup or investigative grants for 10 redevelopment projects across the state, including $1.25 million to remediate the old Midway Stadium site near Snelling Avenue in St. Paul.

The St. Paul Port Authority and United Properties, which will jointly own the property, plan to build a $15 million light-industrial building for four to five tenants and 200 to 300 workers. The project, slated to be finished by the fall of 2016, is expected to increase the tax base by $814,331.

Removing pollutants from the site will cost a total of $5 million, Port Authority spokesman Tom Collins said. The balance of the cost will be paid by the Port Authority and other grant sources.

The 12.9-acre site, once a dumping ground for the nearby State Fair, is owned by the city of St. Paul but will be turned over to the Port Authority in May once the city and the Saints take possession of CHS Field downtown.

The Port Authority acquired rights to the Midway Stadium site in 2012 in a land swap with the city, which didn't have the needed funds to buy the downtown site for the new ballpark. The Port Authority bought the downtown site for $1.85 million, then gave it to the city in exchange for the Midway site.

Soil borings and test pits in 2011 showed that the Midway Stadium area contained pollution of the type and amount typically found at industrial sites — benzene, mercury and naphthalene, as well as diesel fuel in the groundwater and high levels of methane.

Other sites receiving cleanup grants Tuesday, along with redevelopment plans:

• Dock C and D, Duluth, light-industrial building, $990,000.

• Howe Fertilizer, Brooklyn Center, dock facility, $610,000.

• 602 Residences, Minneapolis, condos and underground parking, $291,561.

• New Horizon Academy, Minneapolis, day care center, $242,876.

• Brad's Auto Salvage, Blue Earth County, shop and office building, $232,275.

• Washington and Chicago redevelopment, Minneapolis, apartment building with commercial space, $226,875.

• W. 7th Street redevelopment, St. Paul, hotel and housing, $200,000.

• City of Mankato, children's museum, $98,497.

• Garceau Hardware, Vadnais Heights, senior housing complex, $17,512.

Kevin Duchschere • 651-925-5035