URS Corp. Picked for Chrysler Plant Demolition

URS Corp., based in San Francisco, has been chosen by 1743 Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Delaware (UD), to manage the decommissioning and demolition of several buildings on the former Newark Chrysler Assembly Plant site in Newark, Del.

The 272-acre site is adjacent to the university’s main campus. It was purchased for about $24 million in November of 2009. UD plans to demolish the structures and develop a research and technology campus and to use the site to “dramatically reshape the gateway to [the university],” according to a URS Corp. news release.

Under its contract, URS will be responsible for the decommissioning and cleaning of process equipment and associated structures; abatement of asbestos-containing materials; demolition of buildings on the site; and removal, recycling and disposal of building materials.

During the decommissioning and demolition of the buildings, it is expected that about 95 percent of the material from the site will be recycled. URS says it also “will work to maximize the use of community assets and resources.”

“This project will be the largest-ever expansion of UD’s Newark campus,” says Ted Horton, vice president-business development for the URS Corp. Newark office. “As a member of the local business community, URS is pleased to be playing a key role in helping the university initiate the transformation of the former Newark Chrysler Assembly Plant site into a world-class science and technology campus.”

The decommissioning and demolition is expected to be largely completed by November of 2011.