UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C., 20549

                                    Form 8-K

                                 Current Report
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

      Date Of Report (Date Of Earliest Event Reported): September 30, 2005

                             THE ALPINE GROUP, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                        Commission File Number: 000-02249

               Delaware                                  22-1620387
    (State or Other Jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. Employer
    Incorporation or Organization)                   Identification No.)

                              One Meadowlands Plaza
                        East Rutherford, New Jersey 07073
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)

                                 (201) 549-4400
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

|_|   Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
      CFR 230.425)

|_|   Soliciting  material  pursuant  to Rule  14a-12  under  the  Exchange  Act
      (17CFR240.14a-12)

|_|   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17CFR240.14d-2(b))

|_|   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  13a-4(c)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17CFR240.13c-4(c))
<PAGE>

Item 1.01 Entry Into A Material Definitive Agreement

      On September 30, 2005,  Essex Electric Inc.  ("Essex  Electric"),  the 84%
owned  subsidiary of The Alpine Group,  Inc.  (the  "Company"),  entered into an
asset purchase agreement (the "Asset Purchase Agreement") with Southwire Company
as buyer  ("Southwire").  Concurrently  with the execution of the Asset Purchase
Agreement,  the  Company  guaranteed  certain  undertakings  of  Essex  Electric
thereunder (the "Guaranty").  The Asset Purchase Agreement provides for the sale
by Essex  Electric to and the  purchase by Southwire  of certain  building  wire
assets  of Essex  Electric  on the  terms  and  conditions  set out in the Asset
Purchase  Agreement.  The foregoing  description of the Asset Purchase Agreement
and the Guaranty are qualified in their entirety by reference thereto.

      A copy of the Asset  Purchase  Agreement  and the  Guaranty  are  attached
hereto, respectively, as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2. Both are incorporated herein by
reference.  A copy of the press  release of the Company  issued on September 30,
2005 in connection with the entry into the Asset Purchase  Agreement is attached
hereto as Exhibit 10.3.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

      (a)   Financial Statement of Business Acquired - Not applicable
      (b)   Pro Forma Financial Information - Not applicable
      (c)   Exhibits

            Exhibit No.                     Exhibit
            -----------                     -------

            10.1        Asset  Purchase  Agreement by and between Essex Electric
                        Inc. and Southwire Company dated September 30, 2005

            10.2        Guaranty of The Alpine Group, Inc. in favor of Southwire
                        Company

            10.3        Press Release of The Alpine Group,  Inc. dated September
                        30, 2005
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: October 6, 2005                  THE ALPINE GROUP, INC.


                                        By: /s/ Stewart H. Wahrsager
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Senior Vice-President,
                                        General Counsel and Corporate Secretary



                               INDEX OF EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.                         Exhibit
-----------                         -------

10.1        Asset  Purchase  Agreement by and between  Essex  Electric  Inc. and
            Southwire Company dated September 30, 2005

10.2        Guaranty of The Alpine Group, Inc. in favor of Southwire Company

10.3        Press Release of The Alpine Group, Inc. dated September 30, 2005
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ALPINE GROUP INC /DE/", "cik": "0000004164", "assigned-sic": "3357", "irs-number": "221620387", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-02249", "film-number": "051127104"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE MEADOWLANDS PLAZA", "street2": "SUITE 801", "city": "EAST RUTHERFORD", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07073", "phone": "201-549-4400"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE MEADOWLANDS PLAZA", "street2": "SUITE 801", "city": "EAST RUTHERFORD", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07073"}, "former-company": [{"former-conformed-name": "ALPINE GEOPHYSICAL CORP", "date-changed": "19841202"}, {"former-conformed-name": "ALPINE GEOPHYSICAL ASSOCIATES INC", "date-changed": "19810120"}]}
UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C., 20549

                                    Form 8-K

                                 Current Report
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

      Date Of Report (Date Of Earliest Event Reported): September 30, 2005

                             THE ALPINE GROUP, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                        Commission File Number: 000-02249

               Delaware                                  22-1620387
    (State or Other Jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. Employer
    Incorporation or Organization)                   Identification No.)

                              One Meadowlands Plaza
                        East Rutherford, New Jersey 07073
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)

                                 (201) 549-4400
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

|_|   Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
      CFR 230.425)

|_|   Soliciting  material  pursuant  to Rule  14a-12  under  the  Exchange  Act
      (17CFR240.14a-12)

|_|   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17CFR240.14d-2(b))

|_|   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  13a-4(c)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17CFR240.13c-4(c))
Item 1.01 Entry Into A Material Definitive Agreement

      On September 30, 2005,  Essex Electric Inc.  ("Essex  Electric"),  the 84%
owned  subsidiary of The Alpine Group,  Inc.  (the  "Company"),  entered into an
asset purchase agreement (the "Asset Purchase Agreement") with Southwire Company
as buyer  ("Southwire").  Concurrently  with the execution of the Asset Purchase
Agreement,  the  Company  guaranteed  certain  undertakings  of  Essex  Electric
thereunder (the "Guaranty").  The Asset Purchase Agreement provides for the sale
by Essex  Electric to and the  purchase by Southwire  of certain  building  wire
assets  of Essex  Electric  on the  terms  and  conditions  set out in the Asset
Purchase  Agreement.  The foregoing  description of the Asset Purchase Agreement
and the Guaranty are qualified in their entirety by reference thereto.

      A copy of the Asset  Purchase  Agreement  and the  Guaranty  are  attached
hereto, respectively, as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2. Both are incorporated herein by
reference.  A copy of the press  release of the Company  issued on September 30,
2005 in connection with the entry into the Asset Purchase  Agreement is attached
hereto as Exhibit 10.3.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

      (a)   Financial Statement of Business Acquired - Not applicable
      (b)   Pro Forma Financial Information - Not applicable
      (c)   Exhibits

            Exhibit No.                     Exhibit
            -----------                     -------

            10.1        Asset  Purchase  Agreement by and between Essex Electric
                        Inc. and Southwire Company dated September 30, 2005

            10.2        Guaranty of The Alpine Group, Inc. in favor of Southwire
                        Company

            10.3        Press Release of The Alpine Group,  Inc. dated September
                        30, 2005
SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: October 6, 2005                  THE ALPINE GROUP, INC.

                                        By: /s/ Stewart H. Wahrsager
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Senior Vice-President,
                                        General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

                               INDEX OF EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.                         Exhibit
-----------                         -------

10.1        Asset  Purchase  Agreement by and between  Essex  Electric  Inc. and
            Southwire Company dated September 30, 2005

10.2        Guaranty of The Alpine Group, Inc. in favor of Southwire Company

10.3        Press Release of The Alpine Group, Inc. dated September 30, 2005