Demolition of Greystone psychiatric hospital to start 'within a month'

PARSIPPANY The company that will be demolishing the former Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany is expected to begin its work "within a month," according to Morris County Administrator John Bonanni.

The work will start with the environmental remediation that must precede physical demolition of the 675,000-square-foot Kirkbride Building, Bonanni told the freeholders at their meeting this week.

The remediation includes the removal of asbestos, lead paint and other hazardous materials.

The area around the 1876-built Kirkbride Building has already been fenced in for the project, Bonanni reported.

Bonanni, who met with both state officials and the contractor, said the "entire project" is expected to take about two years. The company, NorthStar Contracting Group Inc. of New York, which includes LVI Demolition Services, was awarded a $34.475 million contract for the work.

"An area" on the property will be "designated in memory" of the Kirkbride Building, Bonanni said.

The hospital closed in 2008 and was replaced by a new, modern hospital nearby.

Demolition of the Kirkbride Building had been vigorously opposed by preservation groups that wanted to keep the Kirkbride Building intact as a mental health historic landmark, but state officials said the plans they reviewed to redevelop the property would have been too costly.

Ultimately, the 165-acre property is to be turned over to the county, but that won't happen until the bonds issued for the project are retired, Bonanni said.

Meanwhile, county officials are working with state officials to develop plans to access the property, Bonanni said.

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Demolition of Greystone psychiatric hospital to start 'within a month'