Sessler Wrecking’s Southeast division has successfully completed the demolition of the historic South Building at Broughton Hospital in Morganton, North Carolina — a high-risk project requiring advanced hazardous materials handling.
Built in 1885, the three-story structure once played a significant role in the region’s behavioral health system. Over nearly 140 years, however, it deteriorated beyond repair. Sessler said the structure had become “structurally unsafe,” preventing standard abatement practices from being completed ahead of demolition.
Because of the building’s fragile condition, the team worked under a specialized regulatory permit that enabled a controlled demolition with both friable and non-friable asbestos-containing materials in place. To ensure safety, “controlled wet demolition methods” were used to limit airborne contaminants, Sessler said.
Crews ultimately safely removed and disposed of about 2,000 tons of friable asbestos-containing debris, carefully loading waste into lined transport vehicles, tracking each load through proper manifesting, and sending it to an approved disposal site. The project concluded with full site stabilization including grading, topsoil installation and seeding.
The removal of the South Building marks a major step forward for the state-run Broughton Hospital campus, which has been undergoing modernization to improve behavioral healthcare services. Older, historically significant structures — while cherished by preservation advocates — have often been barriers to future clinical expansion.
The state has been investing in new healthcare infrastructure nearby, and eliminating unsafe facilities opens the door for:
✅ Additional clinical buildings
✅ Green space and accessibility measures
✅ Long-term campus redevelopment
The work required close coordination with:
• North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
• Local health authorities
• Licensed asbestos specialists
• Demolition safety compliance officials
Projects of this nature carry strict oversight due to the hazardous conditions and historic designation.
Sessler Wrecking continues to expand its presence across the Southeast, focusing on challenging demolition projects that require technical expertise, historic sensitivity and environmental stewardship. The company says its work at Broughton Hospital demonstrates its commitment to safety and community-focused redevelopment outcomes.
Originally reported by Chris Sweeney, Managing Editor in CD Recycler.
