DANVILLE — Demolition has begun at the former 1944 year old Danville Intermediate building, marking the beginning of the end of the schoolhouse.
Demolition crews arrived at the scene Monday morning. Danville Local Schools Supt. Jason Snively said active demolition didn’t start till Tuesday.
Once the demolition is complete, the process of planning for a parking lot with proper drainage and lighting will begin, Snively said. The board would need to seek a contractor for that work.
At its December meeting, the board approved $484,000 for the demolition. But the project was completed for only $395,000 by Danville Excavating.
Snively said demolition should be completed in four weeks, laying the groundwork for the upcoming parking project. The area will be graded out.
Before the demolition began, Snively said asbestos was removed from the building, allowing some building materials to be recycled.
“Any steel, salvageable materials will be recycled by the contractor,” Snively said.
With over 80 years of history turning into rubble, Snively said the building’s demolition is bittersweet.
“There’s a lot of history there…a lot of memories for a lot of people, including myself, but unfortunately, it’s what we have to do moving forward and provide that area, the perimeter safety and just the accessibility to the high school (…)
“We’re hoping to maintain (the high school) for many years to come and celebrate what we have there.”
