The company Demontāža has started the dismantling of the Šķirotava prison complex. The total area of the structures to be demolished amounts to 15,138.3 square metres, the total built-up area amounts to 16,131.5 square metres.

The demolition works have been ordered by Grindeks, the largest pharmaceutical company in the Baltic states, which plans to build a new factory on the site of the former Šķirotava prison.

Demolition of the various structures at the site (custodial and administrative building, boiler house, warehouse, shed, dormitory buildings, club-mess hall, custodial building, sauna, car workshop, penal isolator, workshop, garage, water tower, pumping station, artesian well and other unclassified structures) is planned to last for four months.

The area of the Šķirotava prison at Krustpils iela 63 covers 92,584 square metres and was built in the second half of the 20th century. In general, the entire original volume of the Šķirotava prison has been preserved, with the addition of smaller-scale buildings and structures (guard posts, wells, transformer substations, etc.).

“The facades of the buildings are basically made of silicate bricks. Moisture has caused multiple cracks and other damage to the structures, and the roof envelope has been severely damaged. Due to the specific nature of the site, such as the metal window security grilles in most of the buildings, several items of machinery equipped with special demolition equipment - demolition shears, hydraulic hammers, are involved in the demolition works. A special 60-tonne chain excavator-demolisher with a 26-metre-long boom is also working on site,” Rihards Muižnieks, a member of the board of Demontāža says.

Db.lv has already reported that the development strategy of the drug manufacturing concern Grindeks AS until 2025 provides for a significant expansion of the range of new active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished dosage forms, as well as the construction of a new production facility.

“Our project provides for the establishment of a new world-class pharmaceutical production facility, which will also bring high returns to the economy of Latvia and contribute to the growth of the exports of the country,” Kirov Lipman, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Grindeks explains.

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