Former Plaza Hotel now just a memory

The former Plaza Hotel, which was a bar and rooming house for lumberjacks in its early days and which contained apartments in recent years, is no more today after it was razed yesterday morning.

For years the Plaza was owned by Maurice Beausoleil.

The Northern Forest Center, which is planning a brand new nine-apartment complex on its footprint, engaged a company, Dan’s Hauling and Demolition of East Greenbush, N.Y. to demolish the old landmark on Park Street and it made short work of it.

In preparation for the demolition, the company cordoned off the entire lot with orange fencing and posted signs warning of the presence of asbestos and its harmful effects Monday. Demolition began about 9a.m., with workmen in hazmat suits pouring water on the building as sections were pulled down by a large excavator.

In accordance with state building code the crew also covered the windows of the duplex at 173 Park Street facing the building with plastic prior to the start of the work.

For most of the day Dan’s Hauling and Demolition had its large 18-wheel dump trailer parked in front of the building where the debris was placed.

According to comments by Northern Forest Center leaders at a ground-breaking observance several weeks ago, construction of the new apartment building that will cater to worker families is due to start in coming weeks.