A demolition crew from Pece of Mind Environmental Inc. tested a high-reach excavator July 9 that will be used to tear down the unfinished Berkman Plaza II Downtown.
But workers at the 500 E. Bay St. site said mechanical issues with the machinery are delaying debris removal.
A worker with Pece of Mind said the company is waiting for replacement parts for the excavator and it could be July 14 before crews can begin removing the top of the 18-story high-rise along the St. Johns River.
Developer Jacksonville Riverfront Revitalization LLC said in a news release July 8 that delivery of the excavator with its boom arm to the site would allow Orlando-based Pece of Mind to begin work by July 9.
In the release, Pece of Mind President Steve Pece said the company has been removing steel and other loose debris from the structure and preparing the site for the crane’s arrival since May, and the entire demolition would take three to four months.
The city approved Pece of Mind’s amended demolition permit application in January for the $1.09 million project. The contractor determined the building, which has sat incomplete since 2007, cannot be imploded and will be demolished conventionally.
