Tradeport building demolition begins

Site will be largest open Pease parcel

Crews have begun abatement and demolition work at an abandoned warehouse at 80 Rochester Ave. in the Pease International Tradeport.Deb Cram/dcram@seacoastonline.com

PORTSMOUTH Demolition work has begun on a 153,000-square-foot warehouse at Pease International Tradeport.

Once demolished, the 11 acres of land cleared at 80 Rochester Ave. will be the largest available parcel at the tradeport, according to David Mullen, executive director of the Pease Development Authority. The warehouse, which was once one of the most significant buildings ever built at the former Pease Air Force Base, was formerly home to Port City Warehousing Services.

Conducting the demolition and abatement work is Green Environmental of Norwell, Mass. The company was the lowest of 10 bidders that applied for the contract. Terms of the agreement call for the cost not to exceed $675,000. The board also awarded a contract to Greenman-Pedersen Inc. for construction oversight services. That contract is for no more than $53,900.

Pease is expected to be reimbursed half of the cost to demolish the warehouse due to a 50/50 grant awarded by the U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration last year.

Crews are now removing panels of asbestos both inside and outside of the warehouse. Mullen said the crews will eventually remove most elements of the warehouse, leaving only its skeleton. He said he expects the entire warehouse will be razed by late August or early September.

According to Mullen, the land is in an industrial zone, which means it could allow for either an office or manufacturing use.

"I've had a couple people call me, one with a large manufacturing use, another with an office use," he said. "Everybody is taking notice of the property and recognizing if you want to build something big, 11 acres is probably going to be your site."

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Tradeport building demolition begins