A joint venture between Douglas Transport and Recycling, based in Hiram, GA, and Atlanta Demolition, based in Atlanta, are on a fast track to finish demolition of the old Lindberg Plaza in the Buckhead area of Atlanta within four months.
Located at the corner of Piedmont Road and Sidney Marcus Boulevard the Lindberg Plaza Shopping Center was constructed around 1956, back in the days when Piedmont Road was a two-lane road and Sidney Marcus Boulevard was a dirt road called Marion Road.
Craig Touchet, of Douglas Transport and Recycling, started the demolition of Lindberg Plaza in mid-November 2004.
The structure was approximately 500,000 sq. ft. (46,500 sq m) of concrete construction, with the majority of it being two stories. The mechanical room area went to two levels below ground and two levels above. The main part of the building was concrete construction and all the flooring was a waffle-type slab, which is tough concrete.
“When we first came in, we did all the interior demolition and recycled all the steel, copper and aluminum. Our intent was to recycle as much of the C & D portion as possible,” Touchet said.
By doing that, the company ended up shipping out only approximately 350 loads of actual materials to a landfill.
All the concrete is being recycled on-site to be used as grader asphalt base or crusher run (1-minus stone) spec material to be used as asphalt base for new construction.
“We’re also making a 34 stone, which is 3 in. and 4 in. stone mix for stabilization as well as generating 57 stone for pipe bed material. All of this will be used on-site,” Touchet said.
The old construction in the lower level was completed in the 1950s and was built on pilings, so the entire lower level will have to be undercut and will require a lot of fill material for stabilization for new construction.
Replacing the Lindberg Plaza and filling the 38-acre tract of land will be a mixed-use development with a shopping center, condos and possibly apartments and a parking deck, Touchet said.
Douglas Transport & Recycling is taking out the entire plaza down to the dirt, including the asphalt.
All the materials, including light poles and storm drainage systems, will be recycled.
“When we get through, all that’s going to be left here for the landowner is bare dirt and a huge stockpile of recycled material to be used on-site for future new construction,” Touchet said.
The joint venture purchased several new machines from Cowin Equipment to add to its existing lineup to ensure the job is finished ahead of schedule.
“Machines from Cowin Equipment have done really well. The Kawasaki 95 rubber tire loader we bought from them has been here since day one of this project and has done an excellent job so far. We have two new Kobelco SK 330LCs working on site,” Touchet said
One of the 330s is a bucket machine being used for feeding the crusher. The other 330 has an Indeco concrete processor that swivels. The second one is being used to process down the concrete and to remove rebar from the concrete.
“I’ve been surprised at how well both of the excavators have done,” Touchet said.
Another mini-Kobelco SK 70SR also was used for some interior demolition work and to tear out ceiling material and drywall when the demolition process began.
Touchet said the mini-Kobelco had enough reach to get to this material, drag it out of the structure and put into piles for transport to the landfill.
The work is a little ahead of schedule.
“There haven’t been any unforeseen obstacles to overcome on this project and everything is going as planned,” Touchet said, even though January and February have been a bit rainy.
Presently, workers are working seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Since the job started, the only days they took off were for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The primary recycling machine used on site is an Eagle Crusher Ultramax 1200-25CC crushing plant for the concrete and asphalt.
“This is the first unit we’ve purchased and we’ve got another one on the way for placement at our permanent recycling location on the west side of Atlanta,” Touchet said. “However, our primary mode of business is for on-site demolition.”
Another key piece of demolition equipment the company is using is a LaBounty muncher, which is being used for the real heavy concrete and was a key tool in bringing down the structure.
Touchet touted the service he has received from Cowin.
“The guys at Cowin Equipment have been responding real well to our equipment needs. When we call them and have a problem with a machine on-site, they usually respond within an hour or so, which is pretty impressive,” he said.
In demolition, Touchet said machines get beat up a bit and he always expects a few equipment repairs will be needed above and beyond regular service.
When all is complete, the total recycled concrete will be approximately 80,000 tons (72,600 t) and the asphalt approximately 24,000 tons (22,000 t). Workers will recycle steel equaling approximately 250 to 300 trailer loads and likely end up sending out approximately 200 trailer loads of rebar.
More than 90 percent of the entire demolition is being recycled, even the trees that were on the property. CEG Staff
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