MONTAGUE — The removal of the smokestack at the former Strathmore mill is underway, “inching” the property toward a path of reuse or redevelopment.
“It’s a project that is part of a larger cleanup and stabilization of the Strathmore mill site that is partially funded by a Brownfields remediation from MassDevelopment,” said Town Planner Walter Ramsey. “There’s a lot of work going on in the mill itself in the form of abating the complex.”
The $385,000 abatement project, which includes the removal of asbestos and other hazardous materials in the mill, began in April, Ramsey said. Removal of the stack is part of the same contract.
“The smokestack was identified as a threat to the health and safety of the workers and the buildings that surround the smoke stack, because it was starting to fail at the top,” Ramsey said. “Inside that smoke stack is significant amounts of ash that would also need to be remediated as part of this project.”
Town Administrator Steve Ellis said the state grant funding supporting the project allows the town to prepare the mill for demolition or redevelopment.
“At this point in time, the town has an engineered design for demolition of the northern-most sections of the Strathmore mill,” he said. “This would facilitate that. We still hold out some hope for a potential redevelopment for the southern end of the mill, but that part of the facility is also deteriorating quickly.”
Removal of the smokestack was initially expected to be a “straightforward project,” Ellis said.
However, because of weight and height restrictions on Canal Road, the typical heavy equipment that might be used to demolish the structure couldn’t be used.
Instead, beginning in mid-August, the construction company began the process using a drone to remove pieces of the smokestack.
“It was a slow process,” Ellis said. “Once it got to a point where it was safe enough for the workers to climb up to the top, they started removing bricks by hand.”
Ramsey said he doesn’t have an exact timeline for when the removal project will be completed, but the hope is to finish before the end of construction season and the start of winter.
“They’re doing it thoughtfully and carefully so as to avoid damage to the roofs to the buildings below,” he said.
Both Ramsey and Ellis said the removal of hazardous materials, including the smokestack, is a necessary step toward re-envisioning the use for the property.
“We’re just hoping to inch the property toward a point where it can be reused, and it starts with having it cleaned up,” Ramsey said.
Fundamentally, Ellis added, removal of hazardous materials has to happen before serious consideration can be given to either redevelopment or demolition.
“As we think about the Strathmore site, the town remains committed to a long-term vision that would have it returning to a long-term beneficial use,” Ellis said, “whether that building remains there or not.”
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne