Nuprecon
Waikiki Beach Walk
Owner: Outrigger Enterprises
ABC members: Pacific Commercial Service, Safety System Hawaii, Safeway Scaffolding
The Waikiki Beach Walk project, spanning several blocks in a busy tourist district in Honolulu, called for the demolition of four hotels and multiple retail structures prior to construction of a new hotel, retail and parking complex.
Nuprecon worked with the project team for four years prior to the beginning of demolition to develop an approach that would be the most cost-effective and minimize the impact on the surrounding hotel and retail businesses. As a result, the schedule for demolition and abatement was reduced from six months to three. In addition, by reconfiguring the overall demolition approach, selected areas were freed up so that foundation work on the new buildings could start six weeks earlier.
Nuprecon’s plans to process the concrete materials on-site for use as backfill were initially shelved after a survey determined that portions of the material were covered with lead paint. Since only about 5 percent of the material contained lead-based paint, Nuprecon decided to selectively remove that material, allowing the balance of the concrete to be crushed for backfill. That move saved over $750,000 in disposal and backfill costs, and prevented nearly 17,000 cubic yards of debris from entering a landfill.
To remove all non-concrete materials from the buildings prior to demolition, Nuprecon rigged cranes to lift bobcats into the buildings, using glulam beams as bridges to land skidsteers on the lanais of the hotel rooms.
For the safety of 10,000 occupied hotel rooms nearby, Nuprecon brought in an 80-foot trackhoe with a concrete processor attachment to “munch” the building from top to bottom. That process resulted in a more controlled and quieter environment.
Nuprecon also brought in a robotic demolition tool to demolish the residential and elevator penthouses.
Dust and noise was limited by fitting the trackhoe with a self-contained dust suppression system, using 80-foot boom lifts to spray water directly onto the work area, having workers spray down dust, and rigging a fabric dust and debris shield.
During the project, there were three minor incidents; two were medical only and one resulted in restricted duty. There were no time-loss injuries.