The remains of two of the city's biggest and most-polluted defunct industrial operations will start coming down this month.

A $965,000 contract was awarded Monday by the City Council to Brandenburg Industrial Service Co. of Chicago to demolish the closed Lavin & Sons bronze smelting plant (formerly North Chicago Refiners and Smelters) and about half the Fansteel metals plant.

One structure coming down is the Fansteel smoke stack, a 21-story high tower at north end of the Fansteel site.

Mayor Leon Rockingham asked Brandenburg project manager Pete Salamoun to let him know when the stack will be demolished. "We went to watch you guys take it down," he said.

The demolition is part of an ongoing effort to transform the 40 acres of land across from Great Lakes Naval Station at the northwest corner of King Drive and Sheridan Road into a major commercial center called Sheridan Crossing. A hotel developer is expected to visit the site in October, said Charles Smith, city attorney.

"I'd like to see a 'Coming Soon' sign," for the development, said 7th Ward Ald. Larry Hightower.

The developer, McShane/Bulls Corp., has been asked to erect a sign "as soon as possible," said Rob May, city director of community development.

The city owns the industrial sites and is acquiring most of the small retail buildings, bars and restaurants lining Sheridan Road and King Drive in the area long known as the North Chicago Strip that catered for years to sailors.

Some have already been torn down. Three structures, the former Mary's Navy Tailor & Cleaners and a Chinese restaurant, a building at 910-914 King Drive and Terenzo's Subs were included in the Brandenburg contract.

The work is scheduled to be completed by Nov. 30, said Gary Deigan of Deigan Associates, Libertyville, a demolition consultant for the city. "We want to get it ready so Rob (May) can start showing it to developers," he said.

Four demolition and wrecking contractors submitted proposals to the city ranging up to $2.5 million. Brandenburg's was the lowest, Deigan said.

An above-ground cleanup of hazardous waste will start after demolition is complete, May said. The city has obtained a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to start the work, he said.

The city is seeking additional grants to clean up contaminated soil on the property.

Only the far north half of the sturdy brick Fansteel plant is being torn down, for now. The south half includes offices, metallurgical and chemical laboratories. It hasn't been determined if the south half of the complex will be torn down.