Demolition, asbestos and lead work in Hazelwood, Missouri

What does a Hazelwood demolition permit require?

Three things from the city: a permit, a fee and a bond. The Hazelwood city code says a demolition permit is required before any work relating to demolition. Public Works issues it after the application is approved, a fee of $110.00 is paid and the applicant posts a performance bond.

The permit expires 90 days after issue. Public Works can grant extensions of 30 days. After the first extension, the code says the department may use the bond to finish the demolition or grant another 30 days. The table shows how city, County and state steps fit together.

The $110.00 figure comes from the city code as we read it on November 6, 2026. Call Public Works to confirm it, and ask what bond amount applies.

Why does Hazelwood have so much 1960s housing?

Because aerospace and auto jobs came first. Business View Magazine profiled Hazelwood in April 2020. It quotes City Manager Matt Zimmerman saying Ford “came in 1946 and started building the assembly plant that became operational two years later.” The magazine says the post-war boom years of the 1950s and 1960s had a sizeable impact on the growth of the aviation industry in and around Hazelwood. Zimmerman said, “That resulted in a lot of our housing stock being built.”

The Census data fits. Hazelwood has 12,379 housing units, and 3,840 of them, 31.0%, date to the 1960s. That is more than any other decade. Another 1,901 date to the 1970s.

Overall, 50.2% of Hazelwood homes were built before 1970 and 65.6% before 1980. That is newer than Ferguson or Overland, but still a large block of homes old enough to need testing before a remodel.

Can a big industrial site be cleared and reused in Hazelwood?

Yes, it has happened. Business View Magazine reports that the former Ford Motor Co. site was cleared and rebranded as the 155-acre Aviator Business Park. We do not know the details of that project. The point is the pattern: old industrial ground gets cleared and reused.

For a commercial or industrial teardown, the same steps apply. Survey the building. File the state notice. Get the city permit and the County asbestos review. AES lists demolition, interior demolition, building demolition and hazardous material disposal as services. For leftover tanks or soil, see soil remediation.

Our guide to demolition from survey to debris shows the order of work.

What asbestos rules apply before a Hazelwood demolition?

Both the County and the state. St. Louis County says all municipalities and County Public Works rely on its Air Pollution Control Program to make sure asbestos and other environmental hazards are handled before they issue demolition permits. Hazelwood is a city, so plan on that review.

Missouri law requires notice at least ten working days before a regulated project starts. Most single-family residences are exempt from the DNR rule, but commercial buildings are not. Learn the terms NESHAP and regulated asbestos-containing material. AES holds Missouri DNR asbestos contractor registration 27-06-0640. See asbestos abatement and the St. Louis County permits guide.

How do I plan a Hazelwood demolition from start to finish?

Run the checks in this order, because the city permit, the County review and the state notice each have their own clock.

1. Confirm the building type and year. A 1960s house and a former plant building call for different surveys.
2. Order an asbestos survey. A certified inspector samples suspect materials, and the report goes with the notice.
3. File the state notice. Missouri DNR needs it at least 10 working days before a regulated project starts.
4. Apply for the city permit. Public Works takes the application, the $110.00 fee and the bond.
5. Abate first, then demolish. Regulated material comes out before the building comes down.
6. Watch the 90 day clock. The permit expires 90 days after issue, so schedule crews before you apply.

Read abatement vs remediation if the terms are new. Our Missouri asbestos rules guide covers the thresholds.

What about lead paint in Hazelwood homes?

Pre-1978 homes may have it. Missouri’s health department estimates that 60% of dwellings built from 1960 to 1978 contain lead-based paint. Hazelwood’s biggest group, the 1960s, falls inside that range.

We did not find a Hazelwood city lead program. St. Louis County’s Healthy Homes Program offers free in-home lead inspections for county residents with a child under six in the home and a recent venous blood lead test. Read lead-based paint, then see our lead paint in pre-1978 homes guide. AES lists lead abatement as a service.

How far is Hazelwood from the AES office?

Hazelwood is the farthest of the St. Louis County places we checked. The AES office at 3100 Gravois Ave is about 26.0 miles from the center of Hazelwood, roughly 43 minutes without traffic. That is a free-flow estimate, so allow more at rush hour.

AES lists St. Louis, St. Charles and Columbia, Missouri, as its service area, plus projects within 300 miles of St. Louis. Hazelwood sits well inside that range. For a nearby county overview, see St. Louis County.

Next step

Call (314) 865-2662 or send our quote form with your Hazelwood address, the building type and the work you plan. Start with the demolition page to see the process.