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    Sunday, November 10, 2024

    New London annex razed, clearing path for removal of church collapse debris

    An employee with Weis Building carries a ladder as demolition continues at the former First Congregational Church annex in New London Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    Employees with Weis Building sort through rubble as demolition continues at the former First Congregational Church annex in New London Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    An employee with Weis Building sorts through rubble as demolition continues at the former First Congregational Church annex in New London Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    Employees with Weis Building use escalators to move rubble as demolition continues at the former First Congregational Church annex in New London Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    An employee with Weis Building sorts through rubble as demolition continues at the former First Congregational Church annex in New London Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    Employees with Weis Building sort through rubble as demolition continues at the former First Congregational Church annex in New London Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    New London ― The walls, the roof, duct work and support beams of the former First Congregational Church’s annex came tumbling down this week, clearing the way for the removal of rubble that was once an adjacent historic downtown church.

    On Tuesday morning, less than a day after the demolition work began, excavator teeth bit and tore through the girders and masonry that once formed the condemned 49-year-old annex structure at 66 Union St.

    The debris was hauled and placed into piles just a few feet away from a mountain of granite blocks and splintered wood created by the razing of the main church building in January after a steeple collapse prompted its emergency demolition.

    The church property’s new owners, Eastern Connecticut Housing Opportunities, or ECHO, said the leveling of the 5,904-square-foot annex will enable the group to begin main site clearing in earnest.

    As part of a forbearance agreement with the city, ECHO agreed to remove all remnants of the church by Nov. 1. In exchange, the city will give ECHO two years to pay off a $245,000 lien imposed on the former owners, Engaging Heaven Ministries, to cover the emergency tear-down costs incurred by the city.

    ECHO took responsibility for the lien when it purchased the property in July for $125,000.

    ECHO President and CEO Julie Savin said the annex demo moved much faster than initially anticipated, though the clean-up portion of the work will take a bit longer to finish.

    She noted the demolition work was delayed for several months due to snags in obtaining permitting approval.

    “That was more time-consuming than we anticipated; if we’d gotten the permits in July, that site would have been cleared before school began,” Savin said.

    The annex site, once cleared, will serve as a staging area for the heavy equipment that will be tasked with removing church debris. While the annex rubble contains no hazardous materials, the main church wreckage must still be examined for contaminants.

    “We’ll have a licensed environmental specialist at the site every day we’re at the site,” Savin said. “The rubble will be divided into three piles: one for regular waste, one for testing and one for the things we’ll retain for the new building ― things like granite and decorative stone.”

    The annex was home to several 1970s-era stained glass windows that were removed and returned to the First Congregational Church.

    The group plans to build housing on the property, though the project is still in the design phase.

    Savin said she’s cautiously optimistic the group will meet its November site clean-up deadline.

    “But there’s no guarantee we won’t run into an issue that requires us to request a two-week extension,” she said. “We would know that in advance, though. And I don’t think it’ll be an issue as long as we’re showing progress.”

    Mayor Michael Passero, whose City Hall office window overlooks the church collapse site, was able to watch the annex demolition work Tuesday from his desk chair.

    “I’m thrilled by the progress so far,” he said. “And I’d be willing to work with the City Council to tweak the (forbearance) deadline, if necessary.”

    j.penney@theday.com

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