Work to tear down the former W.W. Cross tack factory in Jaffrey is nearing completion.

Planning and Economic Development Director Jo Anne Carr said over the past few weeks, the property, which is owned by the town, has undergone a removal of a 10,000-gallon fuel tank and is undergoing deconstruction to remove concrete, metal and bricks.

Demolition began on May 12, with an estimated time frame of about two weeks for completion.

Once the building is fully removed, Carr said, the town will move forward with remediation efforts on the site. That work had already begun, but potential contaminants under the building, particularly in the area of the factory where tacks were being plated, was still a concern. However, that area had been impacted by a large fire in 2020, which destroyed a portion of the building and made it an unsafe area for testing until the building had been removed.

Once the building is down, Carr said the next step will be testing the area for potential soil or water cadmium or cyanide contamination, which she expects to happen in June or early July. By this fall, the town should have a report of any potential contamination, and will be able to move forward with crafting a remedial action plan by the end of this year.

If remediation is needed, Carr said it will likely involve the removal of more soil from the site.

“The goal is to have it as clean as possible,” Carr said. “We’d prefer not to do something like cap it and have a use restriction. If we can afford to have the materials removed, that's what’s best for redevelopment.”

Carr said that will depend heavily on the amount of contamination and the amount of material that has to be removed. Contaminated soil will go to a secure landfill, and Carr said it will likely have to be hauled out of state to do so, which is expensive. She said that will have to be determined when the town makes their remedial action plan.

In the meantime, Carr said the town is working on market analysis for development of the property. One possibility is a small grocery, which is one of the businesses the town has prioritized as a need. The town is also consulting with the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation for future redevelopment opportunities for the property.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.