Remaining portion of Paterson Armory being demolished for almost $200,000
By Jayed Rahman
Published: April 17, 2019
The remaining portion of the fire-damaged and crumbling Paterson Armory is being demolished brick by brick.
Municipal officials hired Super LLC of Haledon for $198,000 to demolish the structure at 461 Market Street.
A parapet wall collapsed in Feb. 2018, forcing the city to declare the structure an “imminent hazard.”
“Part of the building is going to be demolished and part of the building will be preserved,” said business administrator Vaughn McKoy to the City Council on Tuesday night.
Seven firms submitted prices for the job ranging from $198,000 to $975,000.
“”Do we have to worry about them coming back and asking for more money?” asked Ruby Cotton, 4th Ward councilman, after looking at the quote spread.
Super LLC won the contract by submitting the lowest price for the job. A firm with the second lowest quote wanted $318,000 for the demolition job.
“We checked all the references of their work,” said answered McKoy.
The latest demolition contract pushes the amount of money consumed by the Paterson Armory to $1.3 million since a massive fire destroyed much of the 19th century structure in Nov. 2015.
“The entire structure needs to be knocked down, so I don’t know what they are talking about,” said developer Charles Florio on Wednesday morning. He said engineers have determined the integrity of the entire building has been compromised.
Florio is purchasing the site for $3 million. He plans to construct a luxury housing complex for $15 million. The new building will have 138 apartments, on-site parking, amenities like a pool, and a first-floor restaurant.
The Board of Adjustment approved the project last month.
“The whole thing is coming down. What’s happening is that some of the corner stones and the more precious elements that have historical value are being preserved,” explained economic development director Michael Powell.
Powell said Florio will re-use some of the elements and bricks from the structure on his project.
Florio said his designers will incorporate the bricks from the old Paterson Armory into the new complex.
A crew was on site on Wednesday morning demolishing the remnant of the old Paterson Armory.
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