BROKK robotic arm will be used during the top-down deconstruction method of the old NIS Building on Probyn Street. These machines will be remotely operated and no human beings will be inside the building while the demolition is occurring.
There will be some changes to the direction of traffic along the areas of Probyn Street and Bay Street while the demolition work continues on the NIS Building in Bridgetown.
Recently, Chief Executive Officer of Haigh Communica-tions Inc, Joy-Ann Haigh gave some updates on Phase One of the Bridgetown Transformation Project.
Renovation of the market
She noted that this phase includes the demolition of the NIS Building, the fire station and temporary market on Probyn Street. Haigh added that this also includes the construction of kiosks of the “old market”.
The construction of 115 kiosks will also incorporate a butcher’s block, car park, washroom facilities for the public, vendors and separate washrooms for the butcher. Haigh said that the Urban Development Commission (UDC) will be managing this part of the project which is scheduled to start next week.
Construction of Golden Square Freedom Park
After the demolition element is completed, Haigh said that the construction of the Golden Square Freedom Park will start. She said that the whole area will be extended and it will have unique features including the names of important Barbadian families.
In an interview yesterday, Haigh explained that in this first phase, a lot of tasks had to be completed. This included the cleaning out of the building, removal of elevators, glass etcetera. She noted the need to move vendors in the temporary market and tenants of Transport Board and repairs and improvements of their kiosks and relocation of the fire station from Probyn Street to Prince Road, The Pine, St. Michael.
She gave a concise timeline of the activities so far: the first week of January 2020, there was the move of the buses in Probyn Street and informing the commuters about this change (January 5). She noted that all these elements (contractors’ preparation, vendors’ relocation) occurred in six weeks time.
She noted that the demolition of the NIS building began this week. Haigh said Monday (February 17) was the demolition of the NIS annex and on Tuesday (February 18), the Fire Station was taken down.
Use of robotic arms to demolish the building
Yesterday, Haigh said that there was the testing of the robotic arm which will be a part of the deconstruction process. She explained that the robotic arm will remove the top of the building and move downward.
“(The robotic arms) are now being tested, they are on-site and these machines then go into the building, they are remotely operated....no human beings will be (in the NIS building). It will be operated from the outside, ” said Haigh.
She explained that this method will ensure that all the construction staff are in the designated safe areas while the deconstruction is going on.