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Glenn Redevelopment Corporation says campus roads are ahead of schedule, abatement and demolition next
Summary
Larry Winnham of the Glenn Redevelopment Corporation told council the new roads are largely complete and the next phase will focus on asbestos abatement and demolition paid for by state funds; about eight or nine buildings may be salvageable though the historic barn likely cannot be.
Larry Winnham, representing the Glenn Redevelopment Corporation (GRC), updated the Glenwood City Council on progress at the old-campus redevelopment site, reporting that new road construction is ahead of schedule and demolition/abatement work will start next.
Winnham said environmental studies conducted with HDR and Teracon found heavy asbestos concentrations in the cottages, and those structures are slated to be among the first abatement and demolition packages released for bid. “The buildings that have the most asbestous by far are the cottages,” he said, adding that bid packages for the first cottages should be issued within two weeks. He described a phased approach to abatement and demolition tied to available state funding.
State dollars, Winnham said, are largely restricted to demolition, abatement, utilities and the two new roads on campus; housing and master development plans remain in planning and design stages with HDR and the master developer working toward a final design to present to the committee in coming weeks. Winnham noted the project team hopes to preserve roughly eight or nine buildings on the campus, but cautioned that some structures — including the barn — appear too costly to rehabilitate. “Doesn't look like we're going to be able to save the barn,” he said.
Construction timing: Winnham said the roads were not originally scheduled to be finished until mid-October or November but that contractors expected substantial completion as early as mid-July. He also said abatement work may be bid in separate packages that could include both abatement and demolition depending on contractor qualifications and DNR guidance.
What it means: The state-funded phase of the GRC campus focuses on clearing hazardous materials and preparing infrastructure for future redevelopment. The emphasis on phased abatement and low-bid procurement for public funds means contractors must demonstrate qualifications; the city and GRC said they will try to create subcontracting opportunities for local firms while using master-developer and engineering expertise to vet bidders.
Attributions: Statements and quoted text are taken from Larry Winnham’s presentation to the council during the meeting.
