Project Spotlight: East and Davies Halls at Blair Academy

Yannuzzi Group proudly contributed demolition services to East and Davies Halls at Blair Academy, a private, co-ed boarding high school in Blairstown, NJ. This job presented unique challenges to Yannuzzi Group, as demolition needed to be completed in a short period of time while minimizing disruption to students, faculty, and staff on campus.

A Rich History 

East and Davies Halls have long been a part of Blair Academy’s history, which dates back to the school’s founding as an all-boys school in 1848. It wasn’t until nearly 40 years later, though, that East Hall was built; it served as a gymnasium until 1911, when it was converted into a dormitory. Davies Hall was also transformed into a dorm that year, although it was originally built to house a swimming pool. But eventually, the last of East and Davies Halls' occupants graduated, ending more than a century of tradition.

The Yannuzzi Group Demolition

All good things must come to an end, and Yannuzzi Group performed demolition on the two historic buildings after performing asbestos abatement on both halls. Yannuzzi Group had to do things a bit differently than with most jobs; school was still in session, and students and faculty were milling about, curious as to what would become of the site where these beloved dorms stood. Demolition was to be completed quickly, with special care taken to keep all workers, students, and staff safe. The entire site was fenced off, and because demolition dust needed to be avoided, Yannuzzi Group used dust-free demolition practices to be sure dirt, dust, and debris didn’t spread or disrupt students and staff.

Blair Academy also wanted to offer alumni and staff each a souvenir of their days at East and Davies in the form of a brick from the original structures. Yannuzzi Group takes great care to recycle building materials to have a positive impact on the environment. Those recycling practices had to be modified to separate the thousands of bricks from the remaining material to preserve a piece of history for those who had lived it.

The Dawn of a New Era

Demolition and cleanup were completed after a month, and crews set to work laying the foundation of Blair Academy’s future. The Center for Innovation and Collaboration has replaced the old dorms, and it serves as the home for the technology and fine arts departments. The exterior architecture offers a throwback to the old buildings, but the inside is filled with meeting spaces, a café, and classrooms filled with state-of-the-art technology.

The future for Blair Academy looks bright, and Yannuzzi Group is proud to have been part of the journey. To learn more about this project or our demolition services, call us at 908-218-0880.