The local television outlet in Albany, Georgia is reporting this morning that Merck has decided to demolish the plant it shuttered in 2007, just as the industrial real estate bubble was beginning to burst, there:
. . . .Merck confirmed. . . that the plant will be demolished. The facility that once employed 500 people shut down in January 2007.
Economic Development Commission Ted Clem told us Merck informed the E.D.C. some time ago that the plant was off the market, but he did not know an official demolition decision had been made. Clem says the E.D.C. continues to market other empty industrial facilities to potential buyers.
Tuesday, Merck said the building will be torn down and the property returned to its original state. Demolition will take a year to 18 months. Construction trailers are already on site as the work continues. . . .
Given the age of the facility (click to see composite image, at right), I can't help but wonder whether there will be environmental complications, here -- as EPA comes in to do a soil and groundwater inspection, post the tear-down. Will this be Merck's next Superfund site? It would not surprise me, after the Merced, California experience (and a related lawsuit that is still unfolding, there).
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