In July of 2021 Congressman Jared Huffman’s Ukiah Field Office was nearly destroyed by a fire of still undetermined origin out on Low Gap Road: mendofever.com/2021/07/06/modular-building-on-ukiahs-low-gap-road-goes-up-in-flames/
Generously described at the time of the fire as a “modular building,” Huffman’s office was effectively destroyed leaving a substantial demolition and clean-up project for the County (we do not know if Huffman’s trailer was insured nor why the clean-up cost is being covered by the County. Perhaps it was a lease.)
It has taken a year for the County to arrange for the demolition and removal of Huffman’s nearly destroyed trailer. Last week, local contractor Cupples Construction (and deconstruction?) finally began the work of demolishing the structure and removing it.
County Facilities Staffer Walter Kolon passed along some photos of the work, adding that the project is a mini-version of what is being planned for the Whitmore Lane site where the County hopes to build a Psychiatric Health Facility (“PHF”) some day.
Kolon: “[Huffman’s office] “was a modular and not well built. Also it was built over a very thick concrete loading ramp that was probably part of the old hospital years ago. The ramp also has to be taken out and filled. The demolition on that project was around $48,000. Demo costs are going up because of cost of fuel and dump fees. A lot of the loads of detritus had to be taken to a Willits disposal site because the Ukiah dump site does not have the proper permits to accept certain types of waste. More time and fuel trucking it to Willits.” … “What’s coming up now are the costs and time for asbestos and other non-disposable items abatement that needs to be done before demolition can even start. For example, there was mastic under all the floor tiles that needs to be removed before demolition, that in itself is a big job. And that’s just one source of asbestos.”
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