The demolition of the E.C. Electroplating plant, the cause of a chromium spill almost 30 years ago in Garfield, was completed without any disturbances to Roosevelt Elementary School, which is located near the site, on Oct. 22.

PHOTO/RICHARD MARDEKIAN

Demolition is complete of the E.C. Electroplating plant.

The Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) on-site coordinator Neil Norrell said that the building demolition was completed and the EPA is removing leftover debris.

During the demolition, air and dust monitoring systems were set up around the superfund site and at Roosevelt School 7. Norrell said no alarms went off during this time, except for one near the railroad tracks. Norrell said there were peaks in dust when trains were going by.

Garfield was added to the Superfund list of the most toxic places in the nation in September after 30 years of contamination in part of the city. The area is bordered by Van Winkle Avenue, Monroe Street, Sherman Place and the Passaic River. The E.C. Electroplating Co. plant is located on Clark Street, which is believed to be the source of the contamination. Roosevelt Elementary School 7 and a daycare center are also located near the site.

The E.C. Electroplating site is located in a mixed residential and commercial area of Garfield. In December 1983, approximately 3,640 gallons of chromium plating solution (chromic acid) containing about 5,400 pounds of chromium was discharged from a partially below ground storage tank contaminating groundwater beneath the site. Wells were installed to monitor groundwater and partially recover some of the discharged product.

School 7 was tested for chromium before demolition started and will be tested again once the debris is removed. Parents from School 7 had concerns about keeping their children in school during the demolition but the EPA said that there was no need to relocate them.

No transfers were given to students during the demolition. School Superintendent Nicholas Perrapato said one parent met with him to discuss having a transfer but after talking and he assured them of all the precautions that were made they were satisfied.

"Everything went smoothly at School 7," Perrapato said. "From the EPAs standpoint, from what they stated there werent any major concerns and they fulfilled their promises with no issues."

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Plant demolition completed near elementary school in Garfield

GARFIELD Demolition of the E.C. Electroplating building ended Monday afternoon, a little over a week after it began, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys coordinator at the scene, Neil Norrell.

Air samples were still being analyzed for possible contamination, but Norrell said he did not anticipate any problems.

So far, everything looks okay, Norrell said.

The EPA has been handling the cleanup of the former E.C. Electroplating plant, a Clark Street business where three tons of cancer-causing hexavalent chromium spilled from a tank in 1983. Initial cleanup of the spill was halted in 1985, even though only about 30 percent of the chromium was recovered. Since then, contaminated water has been coursing beneath an area of approximately 600 homes and businesses in the southwest corner of the city. Local and federal officials say drinking water has not been affected, but the contamination has infiltrated the basements of about 20 properties.

EPA officials have said that the building itself was not contaminated with hexavalent chromium, but they needed to tear it down to get at a pool of highly concentrated chromium they believe is beneath the plant. Despite the EPAs assurances, residents especially parents of students attending two nearby elementary schools had expressed concern before the demolition about its potential impact on their children.

The EPA took precautions to prevent dust from drifting off the site during demolition, which began on Oct. 12. Monitors were also set up at the schools and several other locations in the neighborhood to measure dust levels in the air, and air samples were taken every day, Norrell said.

No problems have been reported, he said.

The air monitors will remain in place while the building debris is removed from the site, Norrell said.

Email: lueddeke@northjersey.com

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Demolition of Garfield's E.C. Electroplating plant finishes

Demolition has begun on several buildings to make way for a new $11 million community service centerfor Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley.

The former Benhams property and all of the buildings in the 600 block of South Main are being demolished to make way for the new community service center.

Buying the buildings, tearing them down and remediating the land is expected to cost about $3.15 million, Goodwill Easter Seals officials said. A $2.2 million Clean Ohio state grant will pay about 70 percent of those per-construction costs, with Goodwill putting up $905,000 and neighboring Miami Valley Hospital contributing $47,000.

The 80,000-square-foot facility will house the 125 employees who currently work at Goodwills Kuntz Road headquarters off Stanley Avenue.

Agency officials anticipate creating 50 more jobs during the next five years at the new center. When it opens in late 2014 or early 2015, the community service center will allow Goodwill Easter Seals to expand its services to the developmentally disabled, elderly and unemployed - services that are in high demand because of the recession and aging population.

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Demolition begins to make way for Goodwill center

Demolition begins at Newcastle flats complex left in danger of collapse after floods

9:37am Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in News By Bruce Unwin, Chief Reporter (Durham)

DEMOLITION began today at a block of flats left in danger of collapse due to heavy flooding earlier this year.

A demolition crew started dismantling Spencer Court in Newburn, Newcastle, at 8am, after engineers deemed it unsafe to leave standing.

Families from the eight flats were evacuated from their homes on the complex after flash flooding last month posed serious threat to the foundations, already damaged by a culvert collapse on nearby land earlier this year.

An excavator from MGL Demolition began by removing part of the roof of the four-storey building, which was only constructed in 2006.

It is being operated in what is termed a safe and controlled demolition, which may allow some property and possessions to be recovered by exasperated residents, who have not been allowed to return to their homes, on safety grounds, for almost four weeks.

As a result the work dismantling Spencer Court may take up to two weeks to complete.

Complex developer Dunelm Homes, of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, brought in the demolition crew after its insurers gave the all clear for the work to proceed.

Neither Dunelm Homes or Northumberland Estates, which owns the adjoining land under which the culvert collapsed, have accepted liability for the situation.

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Demolition begins at flat complex left in danger of collapse after floods

New, 11:10 a.m.

As we noted in Monday mornings item about the proposed demolition of the 88-year-old Thomas Building on Wood Street downtown, at this late date theres not much anyone can do to stop the wrecking ball. Despite its stature as the citys last remaining link to its high-cotton past, the Anton Korn-designed eight-story structure has no historic-designation protection. And that means the city has no choice but to grant the Charlotte-based owners the demolition permit they asked for on Friday.

Theresa ODonnell, the citys director of Sustainable Development and Construction, confirms via email: We will issue [the permit] after the normal process is followed. She expects the permit to be issued some time today or, at the latest, Wednesday. Were not yet sure when demolition will take place, but youll note in the docs below that when Dallas Demolition filed the demolition application on Friday, it also filed and received a street closure permit for the following Saturday morning.

Sources say Mike Knapek, the local attorney representing North Carolina-based HPI, called the Dallas City Attorneys Office Monday and reminded the city there was no legal roadblock to demolition. Chris Bowers, the first assistant city attorney, confirms he spoke with Knapek, but wont say about what: Were not going to discuss our conversations with Mr. Knapek. If he wants to talk about it, thats his business. Several messages were left for Knapek yesterday and this morning; yesterday we were told he was in meetings, and today hes out of the office altogether.

Bowers also says hes not going to talk about our legal analysis of the situation. He did suggest we speak with the buildings owner. And, again, several messages have been left for Michael Verruto, vice president of HPI, whose name is on the demolition permit. He too has not returned calls.

Preservation Dallas would also like to speak with Verruto. Last night we received a missive from David Preziosi, its newly installed executive director, in which he reminds that several times in recent years and as recently as this summer HPI said it wouldnt raze the Thomas Building. Clearly, he writes, HPI wasnt being honest with preservationists:

In 2004, the owners intent to demolish the building to expand the adjacent parking lot led to it being placed on Preservation Dallas Endangered List and an agreement with HPI Group of North Carolina to hold off on demolition for five years. This summer when hazardous materials abatement work began, Preservation Dallas again contacted the owner of the building and was informed that the abatement work was a requirement of the Vacant Building Ordinance. Suspecting that the demolition of the building would likely be the next step, we were nonetheless assured by the property owners representative that the building would not be demolished.

So, yes, calls are out; messages have been left. But in recent weeks, construction crews have been at the building, blasting the sides (with such force there are now massive holes in the walls) and removing asbestos in preparation for the demolition. Updates as warranted; till then, look out below

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Dallas to grant demolition permit for 88-year-old Thomas Building downtown