Demolition of the 1921 Rippey school building will begin in early July with a salvage operation, but the building won’t be razed until August, school superintendent Tim Christensen told the East Greene board of education at its June 18 regular meeting. Once the actual knocking down of walls starts, it will take about two weeks to complete the project.
Demolition is pending final reports on the asbestos removal and air quality. Once those reports are received, the process can continue.
Cost of the demolition is $111,000. Lansing Brothers of Luxemburg, IA, had the low bid.
The school has received a grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to pay a portion of the demolition costs dependent on diverting the building materials from landfills. The district will receive $14,000 if 35 percent of the materials (by weight) are diverted, and $21,000 if 71 percent is diverted. Some of the bricks will be reserved for East Greene residents to take away. The concrete will be separated from steel and will be crushed, Christensen said. Exact details of how or where materials will be diverted to, and whether crushed concrete will be available for purchase locally, are not yet known.
Ned Johnston was at the meeting to talk with the board about a bus stop in Rippey. He also asked about a time capsule placed in the building in 1921. Board member Dave Tipton reassured him that he knows where the time capsule is located and that it will be saved and returned to the school in the demolition process.
While the planning is being done, the Greene County sheriff’s office and the state fire marshal have used the building for training. See a related story under the Good News tab.
