Empire Services, one of our affiliates, is known for their expertise and experience in demolition and excavation. But did you know they work on repurposing projects? Like demolition, repurposing (or adaptive reuse) gives a property a chance to become something new again. In fact, it has given many manufacturing sites new leases on life.
One of Empire Services most recent projects is an example of this repurposing trend. That’s how they became involved in repurposing one of Mack Truck’s plants, which had been taken over by Allentown Metal Works (Allentown, PA) before closing for good in 2011. The property is unique because the products manufactured date back to the early 20th century, designating it a historical manufacturing site. The first owner and occupant of the property was Traylor Engineering Manufacturing Company (Traylor Engineering). In 1902, Samuel Traylor founded Traylor Engineering to manufacture heavy-duty steel components used in the mining, construction, and concrete industries. These products and even Mack Trucks could not keep this piece of Americana alive.
However, Allentown Metal Works will not be another footnote in Allentown’s history. It’s getting a second chance at life through Marcon Properties, LLC. The Allentown contractor is repurposing two buildings (160,000 square feet in total) on the property, creating a modern production facility for affiliated Eastern Exterior Wall Systems. Together with project partner Alvin H. Butz, Inc., Empire Services has given Allentown Metal Works a new purpose for future generations.
Working with AEDC
Serving as contractors first to the Allentown Economic Development Corporation (AEDC), Empire Services demolished Building A’s top floor after a partial roof collapse. That work enabled Empire Services to gain first-hand knowledge of the site, so when they were contracted by Alvin H. Butz, Inc. to assist with repurposing the facility, they were ready to perform select demolition and excavation work on the site. In addition, Empire Services helped budget, plan, and value-engineer the project with Alvin H. Butz, Inc.
Sequencing Strategy
The project started in October 2022, completing the bulk of the work in mid-January 2023. Since the existing buildings were stable, it made sense to repurpose them and reuse the materials. Empire Services began the project by working on the smaller of the two buildings. Taking the 50,000-square-foot building down to its shell for renovations was necessary, including the removal of all windows, window infills, roofing, roof decking, metal panel walls, mechanicals, utilities, doors, and partitions. Numerous roof purlins required removal due to deterioration of the wood since the building had not been operational or maintained for over a decade. Also, mechanical equipment pits in the floor required equipment and material removal prior to backfilling with crushed concrete and clean stone providing a level surface for the new concrete slab installation.
When it came to devising the demolition strategy, it all came down to sequencing. “The strategy for this project was straightforward. We had to develop a sequenced approach that would allow us to maximize our productivity, while ensuring we still had a safe work site with minimal hazards,” says Matt Bard, Empire Services estimator/project manager.
Empire Services needed to perform the select demolition as quickly and efficiently as possible, coordinating multiple crews working simultaneously and releasing completed sections of the building for other contractors. As a result, renovation and rehabilitation work on the building began earlier than expected, exceeding deadlines to have the new manufacturing site operational.
Interior Demolition
Empire Services began with interior demolition working from the roof down to the slab. They removed partitions and other finishes by removing mechanical features from the roof level and worked down, moving east to west through the building.
Once the interior demolition was approximately 50% completed, additional crews demolished roofing and wall sections. Next, the windows and window infills were removed following the same east-to-west approach, allowing multiple crews to work simultaneously and providing a safe drop zone for demolished roofing materials. Multiple articulating boom lifts, ranging in height from 45' to 135', were used to access the different levels of roofing material, windows, and mechanical features.
While completing the work, a bobcat with a grapple bucket and an excavator loaded out and managed materials to keep the job site as clean and safe as possible. Upon completion of roof and wall demolition, Empire Services moved on to demolish select sections of concrete slab where required for future slab on grade, again working from east to west. A CAT 325 excavator with a hydraulic hammer was used to fracture and remove sections of raised and thickened slabs to provide the appropriate grade for the new concrete slab installation. Demolition of the slabs and completion of wall openings occurred in February 2023.
Tackling Challenges
The biggest challenge was working at height with a crew varying in size (6 - 10 members). Working to surgically remove roofing panels and mechanical features from the basket of a personal lift is never an easy task. Performing torch cutting (or other demolition work) while wearing a harness and being tied to the equipment's anchor point to ensure proper fall protection is always a challenging and time-consuming process. As work progressed and additional trades began to work on site, coordination of deliveries, work areas, and safety became critically important.
By developing a sequenced approach, Empire Services successfully completed the project ahead of time and on budget. They recycled approximately 20 tons of metal and reused 200 cubic yards of crushed concrete as part of the pit infill. The new manufacturing site will bring back the excitement of Allentown’s manufacturing history and provide an economic boost to the city. Contact Empire Services today to learn what they can do for your next project!
