Río Grande wins contract to demolish 240 flats in Chile

Demolition of social housing blocks in Alto Hospicio (Image: Río Grande)

Serviu O’Higgins, the regional housing and urban development service, awarded the contract on 4 November. Río Grande has 75 days from site handover to complete the work.

The contractor carried out a similar project in 2025 at the Parque Oriente III housing estate in Alto Hospicio, near the northern port city of Iquique, where Serviu Tarapacá awarded separate contracts for the demolition of Blocks 1 and 2 and the clearance of both sites.

Río Grande used excavators fitted with hydraulic breakers, working from the rubble as demolition progressed. The contractor removed the debris and left the perimeter fencing in place when the work was complete.

Founded in Concepción in 2004, Río Grande is a family-owned contractor headquartered in Santiago. It has completed more than 400 projects and worked in all 16 of Chile’s regions, delivering demolition, earthworks, hydraulic works, and civil and road construction.

Specifically, the contractor noted that it has carried out more than 40 demolitions in Chile. These include the former Municipal Theatre in Concepción, the municipal stadiums in La Florida and Chillán, the former ONEMI building in Santiago and demolition work for Santiago Metro Line 7.