Project Details

Client: Ramsey County
Location: Arden Hills, MN
Services: Building Demolition, Excavation

Overview

The Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) is a former US Army ammunition plant built in the 1940’s to support World War II.  At one point this area employed over 20,000 people producing small caliber rounds.  After supporting the war it was eventually mothballed, redevelopment proved difficult due to extensive environmental pollution despite a few partial remediation efforts.

The full clean-up effort was completed by Bolander between 2013 to 2016 for Ramsey County.  Work was completed under a Contractor-At-Risk contract for demolition and remediation.  Atypical for environmental remediation, this contract put Bolander and our partner, Wenck, at risk for all overruns on known area of contamination for the site.  As part of the county’s purchase agreement, the US Army maintained liability for any unknown areas of contamination.  This unique contract structure allowed financing to move forward, eliminating concerns of overruns on this high risk scope of work.

All demolition and work has been completed. In 2015, Bolander was recognized for this effort by the National Demolition Association in winning the Environmental Excellence Award.  Bolander received the Certificate of Completion form in 2016 from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, clearing the way for the redevelopment and delisting this portion of TCAAP as an EPA superfund site.

Bolander’s significant environmental remediation of the site included removal of the following items:

  • 140,000 tons soil removed
  • 8,000 ton of PCB impacted soil removed.
  • 3,000 ton PCB impacted concrete removed
  • Mercury impacted concrete and drains
  • 29,000 ft of Asbestos piping
  • Regulated Waste
  • Asbestos Window Glazing, caulking, pipe wrap

Demolition of site included the following:

  • 22 remaining structures and foundations
  • 6 building foundations
  • 40,000 lf storm sewer
  • 38,000 lf sanitary sewer
  • 50,000 lf water main
  • 42,000 lf fence
  • 37,000 lf gas main

The extensive nature of the site and existing infrastructure allowed Bolander to conduct a massive recycling and salvage operation. 93% of the materials removed from the site were recycled or reused in new roadways there and in other parts of the Twin Cities.  An estimated 13,000-plus tons of steel and more than 400,000 tons of concrete and asphalt were recycled and reused, along with Crumpled steel girders, bails of rebar, mounds of misshapen concrete chunks, stacks of 2x12s and thick Douglas fir timbers.