David Rensch Construction specializes in demolition

The demolition of a number of brick and frame buildings on St. Louis Street and East Trafficway next to the federal courthouse was recently completed by David Rensch Construction Company.

Included in the project was the Best Budget Motel on St. Louis Street, ac-cording to Benjamin Alexander, Jordan Valley Park project manager.

"It has really made a difference on the St. Louis Street and Trafficway corridors," Alexander said.

David Rensch said the job is done ex-cept for a few final touches. He will seed and straw the land to prevent erosion until construction of the planned parking area on the site begins.

Alexander said the city is working on the design for the parking lot now.

Rensch started in the demolition business while he was still in high school, working for his father, George Rensch, after school and on weekends. He ventured out on his own after he graduated from school, and at the age of 18, he was bidding jobs and working on his own.

Rensch stays busy year-round tearing down residential and commercial buildings on a contract bid basis. He bids each job based on the time, equipment and material needed to complete the project. Many of the bids are for projects in Springfield and Greene County.

"I've been getting a lot of flood houses for the city and the county," Rensch said.

Unless the owner wants something from the property, Rensch gets all the salvage from the projects. Sometimes he sells salvageable items such as brick, doors and windows. Other times he hires Amish men to remove items they want before he razes the structure and hauls off the debris.

Rubble from the structure goes into dumpsters, while dirt and concrete are hauled by dump truck to the Springfield Landfill.

"At $27.50 per ton, that's one of the bigger expenses of a project," Rensch said.

On the Jordan Valley Park project, Rensch and his crew were required to wear special suits and masks and have respirator equipment in order to remove asbestos ceilings, tiles and siding in some of the structures. The hazardous material has to be bagged in special bags and hauled to the landfill at Lamar because the Springfield facility does not accept hazardous waste.

To qualify for asbestos removal, Rensch and his two regular employees had to go to school in Kansas City for a four-day training course and be licensed by the state. The state also requires a one-day refresher course each year to keep up the license.

Other recent projects for the company include the demolition of the old Park-view High School stadium and a number of houses in Springfield, both north and south of James River Freeway.

South of the freeway in Shadowood Subdivision, Rensch removed houses on South Holland that were located in the flood plain. North of the freeway houses on Gatlin Court and Belvedere Court in Kickapoo Prairie Estates had to be torn down for the same reason. Some of the structures have been salvaged to be moved to new locations.

Most of Rensch's business comes from repeat customers or by word-of-mouth. Much of his work comes from the city of Springfield and Greene County, but he also works for individuals and other businesses.

Rensch has seen an increase in city projects in the last four to five years. He attributes some of it to recent work on roads and intersections.

Once under contract, Rensch said, "I do everything except what the plumber and City Utilities does."

Before beginning a project Rensch contracts a licensed plumber to cap off sewer lines to the property. Gas, water and electric are disconnected and sealed by City Utilities.

"I always check to make sure it has been done before I start work," he said.

Rensch owns four trucks, six tractor hoes and two backhoes. Most of the equipment stays in operation on one job site or another.

As a hands-on business owner, Rensch does a lot of the work on each project although he sometimes hires additional help when needed.