Board OKs abatement and demolition of Erwin House; contract value $711,700 including contingency
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Summary
Selectmen approved a contract with Stanford Wrecking to abate and demolish the Erwin House and garage, with allowances for underground asbestos pipe and potentially contaminated soils; total authorization $711,700.
New Canaan — The Board of Selectmen on Sept. 16 approved a contract with Stanford Wrecking Company for asbestos abatement and demolition of the Erwin House and detached garage, including allowances and a contingency that bring the total authorization to $711,700.
Public works staff described the project as an abatement and complete demolition that will remove the structures and leave the building footprint filled and regraded as a blank slate for future landscaping. The department publicly bid the work and reported two sealed proposals: Stanford Wrecking at a base of $541,700 and Complete Dismantling Service at $563,498. To address known but unquantified conditions, staff added two town allowances: $55,000 for subgrade asbestos piping and elbows (identified in the FUSRAP/FUS and O'Neil report but not fully quantifiable without excavation) and $50,000 for potential contaminated soils related to on‑site tanks and historic site conditions. Those allowances raised the contract total to $646,700; staff also requested a $65,000 contingency for unforeseen conditions, producing a requested authorization of $711,700.
Why it matters: Demolition of a downtown historic‑era house affects future site planning and requires regulatory notifications and environmental controls. Staff said a 10‑day notification period for asbestos abatement will be observed and that any off‑site disposal requires testing and profiling before material leaves the site.
Discussion and board action: Selectmen discussed allowances and contingencies and asked staff to return with final accounting after completion. The board voted unanimously to approve Stanford Wrecking's contract at the base plus allowances and the requested contingency.
Implementation notes: Demolition scheduling is expected to begin after required notifications; staff emphasized the importance of keeping heavy equipment and contractor idle time to a minimum if testing stops work. The site will be graded and left available for future landscape work; topsoil and compaction will be handled so the area is seeded and safe for future use.