06/30/2026
To reverse decades of disinvestment, Oakland County partnered with the State of Michigan and the City of Pontiac to redevelop the historic downtown. Adamo was selected to demolish the Phoenix Center, a sprawling 1.4-million-square-foot complex featuring a post-tensioned concrete parking garage and a 6,000-seat amphitheater.
The urban project presented severe technical and logistical challenges. Heavily trafficked pedestrian and vehicular corridors bounded the site, The structure sat directly over a 4-lane state highway, and was intersected by critical infrastructure, including the buried Clinton River and aging high-voltage and fiber-optic utility duct banks. Furthermore, numerous occupied buildings were in close proximity.
Adamo leveraged its 60+ years of experience, over $40 million in specialized equipment, and advanced digital fleet management tools to safely execute the project. By implementing a low-impact operational system and performing work during off-hours, Adamo maintained full community activity, protected local businesses, and ensured uninterrupted traffic. Highly complex tasks, such as the surgical removal of a 30-foot pedestrian bridge attached to an occupied apartment building, were completed seamlessly.
Adamo's comprehensive site safety program achieved zero health and safety incidents over 15,000 manhours. Additionally, Adamo recycled 204,041 tons of material (99.8% of total waste) and salvaged 2,500 stadium seats for county reuse. By overlapping demolition with incoming construction, Adamo delivered the project over a month ahead of its aggressive 11-month schedule and entirely on budget. This saved Oakland County millions of dollars, paving the way for an $80 million revitalization effort.
