A demolition crew from Olcese Construction knocking down three buildings on April 5. The structures stood near the corner of East Washington and North Plaza streets. Demolition was expected to be finished by April 11, according to the construction company.
Photo by Scott Neuffer.
Long associated with birds and flowers, spring can bring something else: demolition crews.
“Right now, we’re hitting our busy season,” said Tillio Olcese. “A building a week.”
Olcese runs Olcese Construction Co., based in Mound House. Demolition work takes him to Reno, Lake Tahoe and Carson.
“It comes in spurts,” he said. “You’ll go one month busy as all get out, and the next month, slow.”
On April 5, one of his crews was out in the spring sunshine near the corner of East Washington and North Plaza streets in downtown Carson. They were knocking down three brick-faced buildings. Olcese expected construction to wrap up by April 11, including tear down, cleanup and termination of utilities. The latter means capping water and sewer lines.
“So no debris gets in the sewer,” Olcese explained.
Olcese said the buildings had been vacant for some time. He said it’s not his business to comment on the redevelopment taking place on the property, but just to do his job.
According to the Carson City Assessor’s Office, the three buildings were constructed in the 1950s and ‘60s and used for commercial purposes, including office space and retail. The owner of the property is KB Altair LLC. It’s the same business entity billed for the demolition permits, according to city permit records.
Last September, for $3 million, the business group purchased two parcels in the location totaling 4.93 acres. According to a press release issued at the time, plans were to develop 207 “upscale” apartments by the end of 2024. Brendan Murphy of KB Acquisitions confirmed at the time that the residential project was allowed in the downtown mixed use zoning district.
The acreage has historical significance. It contains the site of the former V&T Railroad shops, which were demolished in the early 1990s. In 2021, the Carson City Historic Resources Commission approved the new project with the condition developers follow archeological due diligence, monitoring and curation protocols. Any on-site discoveries can be transferred to the V&T Railroad or the Nevada State Railroad Museum, commissioners said.
In January 2022, the Carson City Planning Commission approved a special use permit for the apartment complex, which is called “The Altair.”
Renderings from AO Architects of the ‘The Altair’ apartment project in downtown Carson City. 
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