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Called a monstrosity and prolonged fire hazard, the city has launched the final phase of demolition of the former Massachusetts Career Development Institute property in the Upper Hill neighborhood. “We take this monstrosity down — MCDI — which no neighborhood residents should have to put up with,” Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said Monday. “This has really been a great public and neighborhood partnership. A wonderful transformation continues for all the great families out here in the Old Hill, McKnight and Upper Hill area.” The two-phase demolition and cleanup project is costing the city approximately $2.6 million, with the final phased being completed by Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield. The first phase began in November of 2020, after years of legal entanglements and other delays. Adrienne Osborn, president of the Upper Hill Neighborhood Council, said she is “elated” to seeing the site at 140 Wilbraham Avenue finally on the cusp of demolition and cleanup. Osborn said she is glad the site will create “a beautiful opportunity” for a new use such as an incubator for small businesses or artists or other uses that will make the area thrive. The property has been “very, very worrisome” due to fire hazards” as well as being an eyesore, Osborn said. “I’m happy it is going to be a safe place in terms of not worrying about whether or not it’s going to catch on fire, who is going to get caught in there,” Osborn said. In 2016, there was an arson fire in the building that damaged more than half the building, and was caused by trespassers, officials said. Once leveled and cleaned, the city will advertise for proposals to redevelop the site that is compatible with the neighborhood, Sarno said. The city plans to continue conferring with neighborhood residents about potential future development, potentially for business or residential use, officials said. Sarno said the site has been a danger to the public and firefighters, as evidenced by past fires. “This is the right thing to do for our residents and business community,” Sarno said. State Rep. Bud L. Williams, D-Springfield, said the demolition has been “a long-time coming,” as the city went through prolonged court action to gain control of the property. The site was an eyesore for years, and the neighborhood deserves to be rid of the structures as part of a transformation of that area, he said. MCDI had closed in 2013, and the site was abandoned by the owner, officials said. The city foreclosed on the property in 2019, and secured city bond funds for the site. The project is part of a community transformation that includes the construction of a new adjacent park at the end of Wilbraham Avenue to replace Deberry Park The second phase, costing about $1.6 million, includes taking down all remaining structures on the site, removal of hazardous materials and site restoration, officials said. Others gathered for the announced final phase included code Enforcement Commissioner Steven Desilets, and Peter Garvey, the director of Capital Asset Construction. and Tina Quagliato-Sullivan, the director of disaster recovery. Full Article Click Here

View Full Article SPRINGFIELD — Called a monstrosity and prolonged fire hazard, the city has launched the final phase of demolition of the former Massachusetts Career Development Institute property in the Upper Hill neighborhood. “We take this monstrosity down — MCDI — which no neighborhood residents should have to put up with,” Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said Monday. “This has really been a great public and neighborhood partnership. A wonderful transformation continues for all the great families out here in the Old Hill, McKnight and Upper Hill area.” The two-phase demolition and cleanup project is costing the city approximately $2.6 million, with the final phased being completed by Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield. The first phase began in November of 2020, after years of legal entanglements and other delays. Adrienne Osborn, president of the Upper Hill Neighborhood Council, said she is “elated” to seeing the site at 140 Wilbraham Avenue finally on the cusp of demolition and cleanup. Osborn said she is glad the site will create “a beautiful opportunity” for a new use such as an incubator for small businesses or artists or other uses that will make the area thrive. The property has been “very, very worrisome” due to fire hazards” as well as being an eyesore, Osborn said. “I’m happy it is going to be a safe place in terms of not worrying about whether or not it’s going to catch on fire, who is going to get caught in there,” Osborn said. In 2016, there was an arson fire in the building that damaged more than half the building, and was caused by trespassers, officials said. Once leveled and cleaned, the city will advertise for proposals to redevelop the site that is compatible with the neighborhood, Sarno said. The city plans to continue conferring with neighborhood residents about potential future development, potentially for business or residential use, officials said. Sarno said the site has been a danger to the public and firefighters, as evidenced by past fires. “This is the right thing to do for our residents and business community,” Sarno said. State Rep. Bud L. Williams, D-Springfield, said the demolition has been “a long-time coming,” as the city went through prolonged court action to gain control of the property. The site was an eyesore for years, and the neighborhood deserves to be rid of the structures as part of a transformation of that area, he said. MCDI had closed in 2013, and the site was abandoned by the owner, officials said. The city foreclosed on the property in 2019, and secured city bond funds for the site. The project is part of a community transformation that includes the construction of a new adjacent park at the end of Wilbraham Avenue to replace Deberry Park The second phase, costing about $1.6 million, includes taking down all remaining structures on the site, removal of hazardous materials and site restoration, officials said. Others gathered for the announced final phase included code Enforcement Commissioner Steven Desilets, and Peter Garvey, the director of Capital Asset Construction. and Tina Quagliato-Sullivan, the director of disaster recovery.

View Full Article The former bathhouses will remain, Strempka said. The city discovered the pools at Szot, Fairview and Ash parks were contaminated with PBCs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, after it hired an engineering firm to examine their condition. The study prompted the closing of the three pools in 2015. Some of the soil that was contaminated will be encapsulated on site, which is allowed by state and federal environmental standards. PCBs are not water-soluble and not considered harmful once contained, Mayor John L. Vieau said. The Francis X. Desmarias Pool at Ash Park was rebuilt at a cost of $1.8 million after the city received a $400,000 state Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities grant. It reopened in 2017. The other two pools have been fenced off for years. The plan now is to turn the area where the Fairview pool sits into a larger, more modern splash park. The current one, which was built around 2000, will remain for younger children, Strepka said. At the same time, the parks and recreation department is applying for a National Parks Land and Water Conservation grant for up to $5 million to study and revamp the entire park. If awarded, the grant would fund an enhanced playground, add a rope climb and other features, improve parking, enhance the area where Camp Opie is located, improve the sports field, and improve parking, sidewalks and crosswalks, Strepka said. A social studies class at St. Joan School did a study of Fairview Park and officials plan to look at their ideas as part of the improvements to be made, Vieau said. At Szot Park, the property will be leveled and essentially left as “a blank slate” for future improvements, Strempka said. “We are planning to do a master plan for Szot,” Strepka said. “We want to modernize the entire park and look at it as a whole.” The plan will also incorporate changes that will be made to the park when Bemis Pond is removed, Vieau said. The city is planning to remove the dams that create Bemis Pond and restore Abbey Brook to its original state. The move will eliminate a safety hazard caused by the two dams, which are in poor condition, and improve the water quality of the brook. The area around the brook will be turned into a passive recreation spot with a trail running along the stream, he said.

View Full Article SPRINGFIELD - Demolition of the former Peter Pan Springfield Bus Terminal Building in downtown Springfield is in full swing. After weeks of gutting the interior, crews with Associated Building Wreckers have begun tearing down the exterior walls. The bus terminal at 1776 Main St. had been a downtown mainstay since it opened in 1969. With the opening of Union Station across the street, Peter Pan relocated its offices and bus operation to the new location. Once the building is razed and the debris removed, the site is intended as the new headquarters for Way Finders, a housing agency that that also provides financial counseling, financial literacy classes and job-search help. The construction of the $33,000-square-foot office building will cost between $8 million and $9 million, and is expected to be completed in 2020.

View Full Article Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon. This is an aerial view of the Yankee Pedlar, in Holyoke, taken in June before it was demolished. Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon. Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon.In the background the steeple from the First Lutheran Church on Northampton Street can be seen. Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon. Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon. The Hildreth House, which served as the entrance for the Yankee Pedlar, will remain and be used in the design of the new bank. Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon. Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon. Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon. Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon. Demolition on the Yankee Pedlar began this week. More than half of the restaurant and inn was removed by Tuesday afternoon. The horse that stood in front of the Yankee Pedlar has been moved to the Holyoke Merry-go-Round. The historic house that was once part of the Yankee Pedlar inn has been moved to a lot on Pine and Hampden streets. Here the house is seen on the June 24 moving day before it was lifted up to steel beams over the spot where the foundation will be. The Yankee Pedlar was a popular spot for weddings, banquets and proms before it closed in 2016. After the Yankee Pedlar was sold, a wide variety of restaurant equipment and memorabilia was auctioned.

View Full Article SPRINGFIELD - The long vacant an blighted building on Berkeley Street in the McKnight neighborhood was being demolished Wednesday by court order after being declared a public safety hazard by the city. Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield was hired by the city for the demolition task and for the removal of the asbestos-contaminated waste at the site at 43-45 Berkeley St., the city announced. Environmental monitors were slated to be at the site throughout the demolition work and removal of the debris. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the latest demolition continues the city's "fight against blight" in neighborhoods. Last Wednesday, the city similarly demolished a long-blighted house at 151 Cedar St., in Sixteen Acres, also with a court order from the Western Division Housing Court. The asbestos abatement and demolition at 43-45 Berkeley St., cost $58,450, from the city's demolition bond funds. The city expects to place a lien on the property to offset some of the costs. The Berkeley Street property was declared structurally unsound and a public safety threat by the city's Building Department. Typically, asbestos abatement occurs prior to demolition, but the state Department of Environmental Protection allowed for demolition to occur with monitored removal of the asbestos-contaminated waste materials, city officials said.

View Full Article Demolition is beginning on the multi-family house at 269 Front St. seen here. The property will be used for a parking lot for Chicopee City Hall, which is the brick building seen in the background. (Jeanette DeForge/The Republican) CHICOPEE - The city is beginning to remove asbestos and other hazardous materials from a six-family home to prepare it for demolition, about eight months after it acquired the building. Work to remove hazardous materials is expected to continue through Thanksgiving. The building is expected to be torn down starting the first week in December, said Mary Moge, mayoral chief of staff. The job is expected to be completed by the end of December, she said. The home at 269 Front St., which is two buildings down the street from City Hall, went up for sale about a year ago. Mayor Richard J. Kos proposed purchasing the building as part of a long-discussed plan to expand parking for City Hall and the downtown. The City Council approved the plan to acquire the building through the eminent domain process. The city purchased the home in March for $140,000 from the estate of Josephine Peters. After that the city hired Cardno ATC for $12,440 to evaluate the building for hazardous waste and prepare it for demolition. The contract for the removal of asbestos and other hazardous materials and the demolition is for $101,000 and the work will be done by Associated Building Wreckers, of Springfield, said Brian Salamon, purchasing agent for the city. The city will still have to improve the lot before it can be used for parking. The city previously acquired the building next to the 296 Front St., demolished it and turned it into a small public parking lot. Kos said he hopes to eventually acquire the building next to City Hall, which is a single room occupancy building owned by the Valley Opportunity Council, and connect the three parcels with the existing City Hall lot. "The increased parking will be available for both municipal and business purposes in the area," according to the mayor's office.

View Full Article WEST SPRINGFIELD - Workers from Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield take down the former Knights of Columbus Hall at t 64 Park Ave. in West Springfield. The site will be the new home of Arrha Credit Union. (JIM KINNEY/ THE REPUBLICAN) WEST SPRINGFIELD - A crew from Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield tore down the former Knights of Columbus Hall at 64 Park Ave. Tuesday morning to make way for a new branch of the Arrha Credit Union. Knights of Columbus Unity Council 2212, faced with rising expenses and declining membership, sold the building to the credit union in May for $350,000. Arrha Credit Union is the the former Springfield Teacher's Credit Union. It plans to close its Westfield branch and move it to the West Springfield location. The land totals about six-tenths of an acre and the lot is about 400 feet deep, according to tax records on file with the city of West Springfield. It's assessed for $606,700. A Catholic men's fraternity, the West Springfield Knights were founded in 1920 and bought the Park Avenue building, which fronts the West Springfield green, in 1924. But maintenance headaches and a lack of rental income forced the knights to sell. The Knights now host their meetings at the St. Thomas Church building a few blocks away on Route 20, also known as Westfield Street.

View Full Article If you've strolled by 33 Hawley recently, you probably noticed that it looks a bit rough on the outside these days. You should see the inside. So here are a few views of what's going on, inside. View fullsize The demo crew from Associated Building Wreckers is doing a bang-up job of wrecking the building. They've been at it for a bit more than three weeks, and, as they've taken down ceilings and walls, our architects and engineers have been able to get a clearer view of the building's structure. As we've noted before, Hawley is basically a big, metal tent, but even those of us who have spent a fair amount of time in the building over the past 18 months have been gob smacked by the size of the space revealed. View fullsize There haven't been any big surprises behind those walls, which is a good thing. With walls out of the way, the steel crew can get in for the exacting measurements they need to start manufacture of the structural elements we'll be adding. Cuts to the floor still need to be made for the elevator shaft and stairway, and we'll see those in the near future. View fullsize

Full Article: https://www.masslive.com/news/2015/08/former_roys_towing_building_is.html Two Bay Street buildings that have been giving the city of Springfield ongoing issues for years were torn down Wednesday by Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield. The wrecking company was the low bidder for the Roy's Towing Used Auto Parts at 876 Bay Street and the former Cohen Brothers Metal Recycling facility at 846 Bay Street. During a press conference in front of 846 Bay St., Mayor Domenic Sarno said that the demolition of these buildings "is a priority for our residents and businesses in that area," and it gives the city a chance to get the property back on the tax rolls once the work is complete. The city took ownership of the two buildings for nonpayment of taxes.

Full Article: https://www.masslive.com/news/2015/08/springfield_demolishes_house_i.html The city demolished a blighted house at 116 Walnut St., on Thursday, in the Six Corners area, saying it expands efforts to reduce blight in neighborhoods and to continue the city's recovery from the 2011 tornado. "This has been a long blighted property," Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said during a press conference in front of the newly razed property. "This continues our attack on derelict properties for quality of life issues in our neighborhood areas." The city will place a lien on the privately-owned property to recover the cost of demolition, officials said. The total cost of demolition and asbestos abatement was $47,050. Associated Building Wreckers was hired for demolition and Cardno/ATC of West Springfield was hired for the environmental oversight. The city used federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds for the project, as that area of the city was affected by the tornado of June 1, 2011. The demolition was court ordered, as pursued by the city, and is "a priority of our residents," Sarno said. David Cotter, the city's deputy director of code enforcement, said blighted properties, such as that on Walnut Street, have a negative impact on surrounding properties. "We have a history now of going from house to house, street to street and neighborhood to neighborhood, and once it comes to us, we don't stop until we get a resolution for it," Cotter said. Blighted houses such as that on Walnut Street, if not addressed, can become a harbor for criminal activity, a drug haven, and infestation with rodents, he said. Tina Quagliato, the city's deputy driector of disaster recovery and compliance,,said the demolitioin effort will continue aided by the federal funds from Housing and Urban Development and city bond funds approved by Sarno and the City Council. Sarno said the multiple city departments including police are conducting conducts joint inspections of derelict properties to investigate the conditions and activity.

Full Article: https://www.masslive.com/news/2015/07/mason_square_eyesore_comes_tum.html Thanks to the efforts of Mason Square neighborhood activists, a vacant home at 14 Dresden St, .which had become a haven for vagrants and drug activity, has fallen to the wrecking ball. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Springfield Housing and Disaster Recovery officials joined representatives of the fire and building departments at the site, now a pile of soon-to-be cleared rubble, Thursday morning to celebrate the near-complete demolition of the blighted property. "I would like to thank our residents for raising their public safety concerns about this property," Sarno said. "As a result this building is part of our blight reduction efforts and we're here to bring the wrecking ball." Sarno said the demolition of the derelict property was five years as the city wrangled with the legal process, including foreclosure. The city plans to seek proposals from developers interested in building a single or two-family home on the site. The project was identified as a neighborhood priority through the Mason Square Initiative, a collection of residents, law enforcement officials, representatives from the mayor's office and local community based organizations. Darryl Moss, deputy communication director for the mayor, said the creation of the Mason Square Initiative that aims to get input from residents about potential trouble spots like the Dresden Street property. Demolition and asbestos abatement are being completed by Associated Building Wreckers of Springfield at a total cost of $41,820. Cardno/ATC of West Springfield is providing environmental oversight of the project at a cost of $4,850. Neighbors pushed for the demolition of the building, now a city owned tax foreclosed property, citing public safety concerns raised by reports of drug activity and the presence of vagrants at the property. The city filed a motion for demolition, which was granted in December 2012 against the owner. A final judgment in a tax taking case against the owner was issued in July 2014. The Dresden Street property is one of several properties that are coming down as part of the city's ongoing blight reduction campaign. Others include: 17 Sheridan Lane, 22-24 Medford St. and 124 Norfolk St.