A Midland Park based company is being hired by the city to provide guidance on how to get rid of hazardous materials that’s inside the Paterson Armory, an abandoned structure on Market Street.

Lan Associates, an engineering firm out of Midland Park, was issued a contract last Tuesday to provide the city guidance on removing materials out of the armory building.

“This resolution is to have a company tell us how to remove the hazardous waste materials from the armory,” said Lanisha Makle, director of Community Development department, when briefly explaining few weeks ago why the company is being hired.

The city will pay the company $19,000 to prepare design documents that will assist in the removal of asbestos and other harmful materials inside the armory.

The Paterson Parking Authority has an ambitious plan for the derelict armory which was last used in 1990. The authority wants to renovate the building for a multi-use sports complex with swimming pool, bowling alley, basketball and volleyball courts, indoor soccer field, running track, according to city documents.

However, none of that is possible until the hazardous materials contained inside the building is cleaned out.

Built in 1889, the city’s armory is the first in the State of New Jersey, according to a New York Times article.