Demolition of the fire-ravaged Stevens Street mill complex is well underway
NorthStar Contracting Group of Everett began taking down the buildings last Thursday after the state Department of Environmental Protection issued necessary permits for the site adjacent Little River in Haverhill. Speaking on WHAV, Haverhill Fire Chief Christopher Cesati explained the city has not been able to open the street because of the potential an unstable section of the mill’s wall will give way.
“We have not been able to just because of the structural integrity of that four-story mill section that runs parallels Stevens Street. There’s debris falling off of it daily. On the side of safety, we don’t want that to come down on someone,” Cesati explained.
Christine Lindberg, chief of staff aide to Mayor Melinda E. Barrett, told WHAV the soonest nearby businesses can reopen is Friday, June 12. The six businesses have been shut out of their properties since the April 28 fire. She said city officials and its consultants will evaluate the situation on Thursday, June 11, and decide whether the Stevens Street can be opened or whether it needs to remain closed.
In the meantime, Lindberg said the Haverhill Police Department is providing a traffic detail to steer unauthorized vehicles away from the site. Cesati said a Haverhill Fire Department crew remains at the property in case of another fire or safety crisis.
“We’ll work with the building department, the city and the demolition crews to make sure that all safety standards are maintained. They will be maintaining air quality. We’ll be maintaining a fire watch to make sure there’s no incidents. There’ll be dust control. There’s a lot of pieces in place to keep everyone safe,” Cesati said.
Barrett told councilors earlier demolition will take at least 100 days.
Officials are hopeful the state will come through with money to help defray the $5 million price tag to take down the building just outside Lafayette Square beside the Little River.
In an emergency session Friday, May 8, the Haverhill City Council authorized the mayor to spend up to $5 million to take the mill down to its foundation. The mayor asked for authorization to use city money after the trust that owns the property it does not have the “capacity” to pay for the demolition. NorthStar Contracting Group bid $3.98 million to demolish the abandoned mill complex the size of two football fields. In addition to the demolition contract, Barrett also signed a contract with Fuss and O’Neill in Boston to supervise asbestos removal as required by the state DEP. That contract is not to exceed $242,000, she said. The mayor also signed a contract with Advance Security Services of Plaistow, N.H., for $50,000 to maintain an around-the-clock guard on site.
Three teens have been charged with setting the building on fire.