Stamping Plant Demolition Approved

Jamie Loo

South Bend Tribune

SOUTH BEND - The wrecking ball is finally coming for the Studebaker Stamping Plant.

The South Bend Board of Public Works awarded a $7.9 million contract to Michigan-based J&L Management Corp. to demolish the building. The plant is part of the Studebaker/Oliver Revitalization Project.

Andy Laurent, a city economic development planner, said it is the first part of demolition planned for the 80 acres in the Studebaker corridor. The plant and the area around it is 40 acres, which is a little larger than the former Uniroyal Plant in Mishawaka.


"This will get us halfway there on demolition in the Studebaker area," Laurent said.

Transpo is footing half of the cost to build its new headquarters and maintenance facility on part of the site. The $647,380.93 settlement in an environmental case against a former occupant of part of the site, Allied Products Corp., will also be used toward the demolition.

City engineer Carl Littrell said the company will salvage some parts of the building. Gary Gilot, director of public works, said about 75 percent to 80 percent of the building's materials can be reused. While the building is being demolished, Littrell said there will also be environmental cleanup.

There were talks about imploding the building, but Laurent said that would have raised the price about $250,000. J&L Management will begin preliminary site work later this month.

Laurent said a ceremony is planned before the wrecking ball takes its first crack at the structure sometime in January.

This article was written by Jamie Loo and published by South Bend Tribune on Thursday, December 15th 2005 and NOT owned by nor affiliated with opacity.us, but are recorded here solely for educational use.

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