Town officials will proceed with plans to demolish portions of the Webster Mill Building to prevent the threat of its collapse, a statement from the town reads.
As of 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 29, the owners of the Webster Mill have yet to respond to the town’s notification of its intent to demolish the portion of the building, which is in imminent danger of collapsing into the public way.
The 24-hour notification period expired as of 4 p.m.
In absence of the owners’ response, the town will proceed with its intention to partially demolish the portion of the three-story building closest to Broadway beginning Monday, March 4, according to the statement.
“The Town of North Attleborough has been working diligently with its local and state partners to ensure the demolition of the building mitigates public safety and health concerns,” the statement read. “To ensure all procedures are being followed, the town is collaborating with its Health Department, licensed site professional and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to address any pests or asbestos concerns related to the building’s partial demolition.”
On Thursday morning, Pest Assassins established a control perimeter and began monitoring the area. This will continue throughout the end of March to prevent the possible spread of pests into other areas of town.
According to the town, a demolition company plans to tear down the portion of the building closest to Broadway on Monday, March 4, through Tuesday, March 5. During the demolition process, water will be sprayed onto the building to prevent the spread of asbestos into the air and a cover will be placed on top of the debris to mitigate any further spread. Air quality monitoring will also be conducted during and after the demolition process.
“The Webster Mill property has been a public safety concern for many years, and we have made it our priority to ensure that necessary actions are taken to address any issues that may arise,” Town Manager Borg said in a previous statement.
Once the demolition is completed, the town will resecure the perimeter surrounding the property with fencing and collaborate with the owners to address the remaining structure.
Broadway from Richards Avenue to Bank Street remains closed to all traffic until further notice.
Southbound traffic will be detoured from Broadway to Richards Avenue, Richards Avenue to Washington Street, and Washington Street to Eddy Street back to Broadway. Northbound traffic will be detoured from Broadway to Bank Street, Bank Street to Morse Street, and Morse Street to Richards Avenue back to Broadway.
