Contractor Announced For Rutland Heights Demolition

The Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management has awarded a bid for the demolition of the buildings at Rutland Heights Hospital to S&R Demolition of Lowell for $6.8 million.

S&R Demolition received formal notification of the award on April 22 following a competitive bidding process. The demolition is expected to begin by June 1, according to Thomas Dufault, chairman of the Rutland Development and Industrial Commission, the local organization overseeing the redevelopment of the state hospital.

"I think it’s great. I’m thrilled," Dufault said. "It’s been a long haul to get to this point. Now, it’s time for the town to come up with the plan as to where it’s going to get the money to purchase the property."

In August 2001, the legislature passed, and then-acting Gov. Jane Swift signed into law, a bill authorizing the sale of bonds to raise $10 million for the clean-up and remediation of the Rutland Heights property.

In early November, the RDIC learned that the project had been placed on the state’s fiscal year 2004 Capital Budget Programs/Projects funding list. Approximately $2.1 million was set aside for the demolition of the hospital and incinerator buildings. Holden (Massachusetts) Landmark