VERTEX provided hazardous material inventory, remedial design, demolition design, permitting, community outreach, and demolition management for the decontamination and controlled demolition of an abandoned college campus to allow for redevelopment of the property as a community park with a museum and memorials for the college funded by local philanthropists. VERTEX’s services consisted of the following:
Pre-Demolition Hazardous Materials Inventory: Due to the unstable and deteriorated condition of the site buildings, VERTEX was unable to enter the buildings to perform a hazardous materials inspection. VERTEX obtained copies of prior reports from previous site owners and other sources to develop an inventory of chemicals that were likely to be encountered during demolition activities and prepared contingency plans in the event that the chemicals were present and posed a risk of exposure the workers or the surrounding community.
Remedial Design: VERTEX prepared design specifications for the abatement and removal of all known hazardous materials at the site and helped establish procedures and protocols to address any previously unknown or undisclosed aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) and underground storage tanks (USTs) or infrastructure discovered during site demolition that required special management, handling and disposal. The design also included the planned removal of unknown USTs and a steam distribution system that was present beneath the campus.
Abatement and Demolition Design: VERTEX prepared asbestos abatement design documents and specifications for the removal of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) from the buildings and structures. The design included a combination of traditional asbestos abatement along with controlled demolition with ACM in place due to the unsafe condition of the buildings. VERTEX also prepared demolition specifications and a logistical plan to minimize disruption to the surrounding neighbors. The project maximized the beneficial reuse of the clean demolition debris (concrete & brick) as structural fill to be incorporated into final grading of the site to minimize the volume of offsite waste disposal and vehicular traffic to and from the site to the extent possible and minimize project costs.
Community Outreach: VERTEX participated in a series of public meetings to assist our client with informing the general public and the adjoining property owners of the demolition process and inform them of the controls in place to protect them from possible exposures. Each meeting included a PowerPoint presentation and one consisted of a televised townhall discussion to ensure the message was sent to the community at large and the community concerns were heard and addressed.
Permit Compliance and Closure Services: VERTEX identified and obtained all required asbestos abatement and demolition permits to facilitate the site demolition and completed the required filings with the applicable local and state governmental agencies. VERTEX provided demolition management services throughout the project and coordinated video recording services including aerial drone videography for key phases of demolition that will be incorporated into a memorial documentary to be displayed at the planned museum.
Asbestos Abatement, Regulated Materials Removal, and Clearance Services: VERTEX oversaw the asbestos abatement and regulated materials removal activities at the site. VERTEX coordinated an independent third party air monitoring firm to provide the required monitoring services while remaining out of a potential conflict of interest with the contractors and site ownership. VERTEX provided public relations support throughout the project to ensure that no problems arose. No notices of violation or neighbor complaints were received by the site ownership.
Environmental Remediation: VERTEX oversaw the cleaning and closure of one 30,000-gallon aboveground #6 heating oil tank that was discovered during demolition activities and was not identified in previous inspections. The tank contained approximately 10,000 gallons of residual oil and sludge which had to be cleaned and recycled. A second underground heating oil tank with a capacity of approximately 30-gallons was also discovered and removed. VERTEX implemented the procedures outlined in our remedial design specifications and safely removed the tanks. VERTEX performed post-excavation soil sampling to confirm no residual contamination was present.
Project Closeout Services: Upon completion of the project, VERTEX prepared a comprehensive close-out report documenting sampling and laboratory analytical results, records of waste disposal activities, load tickets, recycling tickets, contractor submittals, permits, photographs, and approvals associated with implementation of the scope of work.
The project ended under budget with no notices of violation. VERTEX was able to salvage key architectural features of the campus and helped the client incorporate those features into the new park design. Ultimately the client and the community at large were very pleased with the outcome.
To learn more about VERTEX’s Environmental services or to speak with an Expert, call 888.298.5162 or submit an inquiry.
