Over the years, the “911 Building” as it is more commonly called has housed various Pierce County departments and leased tenants, including the former 911 Deli. The building, which was built in the early 1900s, had been lightly used in recent years and was vacated last year after an analysis of structural and electrical systems deemed it unsafe for occupancy.

Pierce County awarded the contract to Dickson Company for deconstruction and demolition, which will occur in two phases. Dickson will remove materials containing asbestos, including floor tile and adhesives, as well as mercury thermostats and fluorescent lamp ballasts. That’s expected to take about two weeks. Facilities Management has hired NOW Environmental Services, Inc, an independent inspection firm, to verify hazardous and regulated materials are removed and disposed of in compliance with all local, regional, state and federal requirements.

Demolition of the structure will occur after the hazardous and regulated materials are removed. Parking and sidewalk disturbances are expected, so the contractor will place notices and barriers. The floor slab and building foundations will remain in place. There are no further plans for the site at this time.

The contractor will use “selective demolition” to deconstruct the building. This demolition method maximizes the salvage, reuse and recycling of materials, and minimizes items sent to the waste stream and landfills.