Demolition of the former GAF Leatherback property on McCray Street and Prospect Avenue will begin soon and is scheduled to be complete within eight months, according to city officials.
The site of the former roofing material manufacturing plant, located on seven acres, was purchased by the Hollister Redevelopment Agency for $4 million in the hopes of developing it for mixed uses - including commercial and residential construction.
The area has been vacant since Leatherback closed in 2007.
"I'd say within the next month you'll see something going on down there," said William Avera, Hollister's development services director. "I'm guessing you won't see a lot of real demo going on for awhile because they'll be doing the salvage first - taking out the machinery and equipment from the buildings first."
The Hollister City Council in July accepted a $234,000 bid from Pantano Demolition of Manteca to remove the dilapidated structures and equipment from the site and leave the site ready for re-use. The 10 bids received by the city included a high bid of $1.26 million by a firm out of Mountain View.
Pantano's bid was as low as it was, Avera believes, because the company expects to make money on the salvaging and recycling of the equipment and other materials that remain on the vacant Leatherback property.
The only interested party to publicly express a desire to use a portion of the former Leatherback site so far is the San Benito County YMCA, representatives of which have entered into talks with city officials about utilizing the southern three acres of the site for a new facility.
For the full story, see the Pinnacle on Friday.
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