| Project Updates |
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| 130 Liberty Street (former Deutsche Bank Building) |
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Summary | Daily Activities | Contact Info | FAQs | Links
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| Abatement work is underway at 130 Liberty |
The 130 Liberty Street building, formerly owned by Deutsche Bank, was severely damaged on September 11, 2001, by falling debris from the twin towers. The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) acquired the building in August 2004 and is managing its safe decontamination and deconstruction.
The 40-story building's decontamination process began in early 2006, when crews from Bovis Lend Lease erected scaffolding and elevator hoists and installed new netting around the exterior. Interior abatement followed, and included environmental cleaning and removal of all interior surfaces and non-structural elements in the building.
The actual floor-by-floor deconstruction commenced in March 2007, but was suspended after a fire on August 18, 2007 that damaged floors 13 through 18. At the time, the building had been deconstructed to the 26th floor; the search for potential human remains in the building concluded in early June 2007.
The tower was deemed structurally sound immediately after the fire, and soon the project managers instituted several safety improvements. They included repairing the fire standpipe, using fire-resistant materials and equipment, rebuilding safety structures, centralizing the negative-air-pressure and electric controls, and improving emergency access and egress points.
The city’s stop-work order was lifted at 130 Liberty Street in April 2008, and decontamination resumed in May 2008 with constant fire department and environmental oversight and monitoring. Crews will continue until the building is completely abated, then follow with deconstruction. Upon completion, the vacant land parcel will be incorporated into the new World Trade Center (WTC) development and be the home of the future 5 WTC building.
Click here to learn more about this project at the LMDC website.
For a complete list of project documents including the approved deconstruction plan visit the LMDC website.
Locate this project on the Interactive Streetwork Map.
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Summary
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Air Monitoring
Air-quality testing at the building continues, with 12 sampling sites in the building’s immediate vicinity. Additional public and private monitors are active throughout Lower Manhattan, including across Washington Street at 130 Cedar Street (click to view those results). Air monitoring reports are available here; more information about air monitoring is available here and on the LMDC’s website.
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Daily Activities
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*The following information was last updated on November 21, 2008.
- Full decontamination resumed in May 2008, and is expected to be complete in early 2009; deconstruction will follow through approximately late summer 2009 pending plan approval by regulators
- Abatement crews are currently working downward
- Floors 14, 15, and 16 have been cleaned and cleared by environmental regulators
- Floors 10, 11 and 12 passed visual inspection as of mid-November, and air sample approval is expected soon
- Workers are cleaning floors 6 through 9
Air-quality testing at the building continues, with 12 sampling sites in the building’s immediate vicinity. Air monitoring reports are available here; more information about air monitoring is available here and on the LMDC’s website.
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Contact Info
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To learn more about the project contact Mike Murphy at the LMDC at (212) 587-9745 or mmurphy@renewnyc.com.
In the event of an emergency involving the 130 Liberty Street Building, please call 911 or the LMDC at (212) 962-2300.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Q:
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How will the LMDC ensure that contaminants are not released from the building?
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A:
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The deconstruction plan incorporates results and recommendations from the September 14, 2004, Initial Building Characterization Study Report. The plan addresses contaminants identified in the study and is designed to be
- Protective of the health and safety of the workers on this project and the neighboring community;
- Compliant with all applicable rules and regulations;
- Consistent with the findings of the “Initial Building Characterization Study Report” that was released for public comment in September 2004, and
- Consistent with current industry standard practices.
The “Phase IA” work activities (cleaning and asbestos abatement) came first and took place from the top of the building down. All necessary asbestos abatement was conducted concurrent with the dust-cleaning activities.
During Phase IA activities, the LMDC's contractors and subcontractors enclosed the work area and established negative air pressure to ensure that potential contaminants remained inside the building. Once negative air pressure was achieved, licensed abatement subcontractors performed limited “soft strip” to create an open work area, followed by the removal of Asbestos Containing Building Materials (ACBM). A thorough cleaning followed to remove fibers that may have been released during the abatement of ACBM as well as settled WTC dust.
Before decontamination work was performed, the stairwells, elevator shafts, and all other vertical connections between floors were sealed properly in order to prevent dust from reentering spaces/floors already cleaned and cleared. These vertical connections (stairwells and shafts) were be cleaned last, once all floors of the building had been cleaned.
After completion of Phase IA cleaning and abatement activities, a “Phase IB” work activities began, including soft stripping and interior gutting. All work will be stopped in the event that excessive airborne fibers are detected outside the containment area, if a break is detected in the containment barriers, or if there is loss of negative air pressure. In this event, appropriate corrective action will be taken immediately.
Additionally, the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC) has implemented a neighborhood air monitoring program for Lower Manhattan construction projects, including dedicated monitors at 130 Liberty Street. The principal objectives of the program are to monitor dust levels for fugitive dusts and to determine when further investigatory and/or corrective actions are need.
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Q:
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How will the deconstruction activities affect residential areas?
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The LMDC and Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC) will make every effort to minimize project impacts to the surrounding community. The deconstruction of the 130 Liberty Street building will be completed in compliance with the rules and regulations that govern all construction activities in New York City, including the Coordinated Construction Act of 2004. The LMCCC will also implement general construction controls and require that all contractors and subcontractors use ultra-low-sulfur fuel, thereby reducing the amount of air pollutants released.
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What measures or precautions will be taken to protect nearby residents during the deconstruction process?
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The LMDC and its contractors, who will perform the cleaning and deconstruction of the building, will take extensive measures to protect the health and safety of residents and workers. In addition to those measures discussed in response to other FAQs above, these measures include
- Construction of a plywood construction fence to restrict site access;
- Sidewalk closures and/or installation of overhead protection;
- 24/7 security guards on site (fire watch activities, general site security around the building perimeter, building access, etc.);
- External air monitoring, and
- Waste characterization.
The licensed on-site Construction Safety Officer will be responsible for ensuring that these protective measures are upheld and for implementing any corrective measures.
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Click here for answers to commonly asked construction questions. |
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