Lorain demolition reaches top floor of St. Joe Center – The Morning Journal

The continuing demolition of the St. Joseph Community Center worked into the tallest part of the sprawling complex on Jan. 12.

West 21st Street was blocked from Broadway to Reid Avenue for safety as an excavator with a cutting claw, called a shear, began taking apart the five-story former hospital.

Its address is 205 W. 20th St., but the sprawling Lorain complex takes up much of the block between West 21st and West 20th streets.

Due to the height of the building, the operator drove the excavator up onto a mound of rubble to gain a longer reach to the fifth floor.

Youve got to do it systematically because you dont want anything to fall out or fall in, on him, said Dennis Dannenfelser Jr., owner and CEO of All Star Demolition Services LLC.

An excavator from All Star Demolition Services LLC, prepares to move scrap metal inside the demolition site of the former St. Joseph Community Center on Jan. 12, 2021. The demolition, already lasting about two months, has reached the five-story tallest part of the former hospital. The continuing demolition on that section of the former hospital caused closure of West 21st Street, from Broadway to Reid Avenue, on Jan. 12 and 13, for safety reasons.

The Union, N.J.-based company is tearing down the community center for owners A7 Development Group LLC.

The street was closed, although it appeared little, if any, of the building material would fall into the roadway.

Better off safe, than sorry, Dannenfelser said.

The daytime road closure was scheduled again for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Jan. 13.

Dannenfelser predicted the street could reopen once the crews had taken apart the building closest to the roadway and sidewalk.

Then, the rest of it, he said.

Dennis Dannenfelser Jr., owner and CEO of All Star Demolition Services LLC, right, speaks withSister Carole Ann Griswold, H.M., a retired Mercy Health vice president, during a ceremony to open two time capsules at the former St. Joseph Community Center on Nov. 10, 2020. Dannenfelser is overseeing the continuing demolition of the former hospital and it reached the highest point of the building on Jan. 12, 2021.

"Weve got plenty of room,Dannenfelser said.

The metal I-beams that hold up the building remained sturdy and would not collapse.

Because of that, the demolition of that section was more a procedure of taking the building apart, instead of smashing it down.

So, hes actually cutting the building down, Dannenfelser said.

The brick there will be crushed and used for fill and the metal beams will be cut and sold for scrap, he said.

The heating and air conditioning units atop the building appeared to be the highest section.

They could collapse into the building, but likely are not as heavy as they were when new because inner pipes have been removed, Dannenfelser said.

An excavator fitted with a shear, or cutting implement, by All Star Demolition Services LLC, cuts apart the five-story tallest part of the former St. Joseph Community Center on Jan. 12, 2021. The continuing demolition on that section of the former hospital caused closure of West 21st Street, from Broadway to Reid Avenue, on Jan. 12 and 13, for safety reasons.

With that section down, he said he hopes to begin demolition at the easternmost section of the building by the weekend.

After that, the three-story section, visible from West 21st Street, is made of reinforced concrete, so the crews will use another attachment to tear into it next week, Dannenfelser said.

All Start Demolition Services LLC has posted additional photos, including some aerial views, on allstardemolitionservices.com.

See the rest here:
Lorain demolition reaches top floor of St. Joe Center - The Morning Journal