WESTFIELD—The city is seeking bids for the destruction of a nearly 100-year-old building to create more parking in the downtown area.
The Office of Community Development in Westfield is requesting bids for a contract to demolish 2 Central St. The bids are due by Jan. 25, at 2 p.m., with demolition expected to occur by the end of March. The demolition will make way for more parking downtown, and is being done in conjunction with the Gaslight District renovations, but is not part of that project.
The building set for demolition at 2 Central St.
“The project is completely funded by grant money, no money from the city is going in,” Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan said about the demolition.
The grant money is coming from the state’s slum and blight removal program. The cost for the building purchase was around $80,000 and demolition is estimated to cost about $140,000, and will include asbestos removal and environmental clean-up.
The building was constructed in 1920, and has had a lengthy history with the city. It has housed a Gold’s Gym, a taxi company and also as the Power Company Gym, a place where Dean and Dave Liptak—also known as the Power Company from World Championship Wrestling (WCW)—trained for wrestling, as well as trained aspiring wrestlers.
