Demolition Contractor in Whisman, Mountain View

Office and R&D Demolition in East Whisman

The Whisman area, in east Mountain View around Middlefield Road, Ellis Street and Whisman Road, grew up as a business park. Its buildings are mostly one- and two-story concrete tilt-ups and steel-framed offices from the 1960s through the 1990s, surrounded by parking lots. Under the city's East Whisman Precise Plan, much of this land is being redeveloped with housing and higher-density offices.

Demolishing these buildings starts with interior strip-outs and roofing removal, followed by structural demolition with large excavators, then slab, footing and parking removal. The concrete, steel and asphalt volumes are large, and almost all of it can be recycled.

Some projects keep a building or two while others come down around them, or phase demolition so part of a campus stays occupied until the first new building opens. Phased work in East Whisman means fencing off live areas, keeping fire lanes and utilities working for the buildings that stay, and moving trucks around tenants who are still coming to work every day.

Environmental Conditions on Former Industrial Land

Parts of East Whisman were used for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing decades ago, and the Middlefield-Ellis-Whisman area has a long-running groundwater cleanup. Some sites come with environmental requirements for soil handling, vapor protection and groundwater monitoring wells that must be protected during demolition.

When a property has those conditions, we work with the owner's environmental consultant and follow their plan. That can mean protecting wells, segregating soil, avoiding certain excavation depths, or having a consultant on site during slab removal. Those steps sit in the schedule from day one.

Permits, Asbestos and Utilities in Whisman

Whisman is inside Mountain View city limits. Its demolition permits are issued by the city's Building Division, and on redevelopment parcels they typically wait for the new project's planning entitlements. Every building gets an asbestos survey. Commercial buildings of this age often have asbestos in floor tile, mastic, roofing, fireproofing and pipe insulation, and a certified abatement contractor removes it before demolition starts. The air district is notified in advance.

Utility work on these sites is bigger than on a house: PG&E removes gas and electric service and transformers, and water, fire and sewer services are abandoned under the city's direction. Hazardous items like fluorescent tubes, ballasts and refrigerants are removed and disposed of properly before the structure comes down.

Traffic and Transit Near Whisman Demolition Sites

The VTA light rail runs through the area with stations near Whisman and Middlefield, and the streets carry heavy commute traffic and many bikes. Demolition trucking is planned with the city, with set routes, flaggers where needed, and clean streets at the end of each day.

Dust control is constant on large sites, with water trucks, misting and wind monitoring. Neighboring offices and new residents nearby expect clean air and reasonable noise, so the loudest work is scheduled thoughtfully within city hours.