130 Liberty is down to floors 14 and 13

Deconstruction of the former 40-story 130 Liberty Street tower is now down to floors 13 and 14, with each floors removal taking about nine to 10 days. In a presentation to Community Board 1 this week, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation spokesperson Errol Cockfield explained that contractor Bovis is testing a new method of steel removal.

Rather than cut steel members on the roof into smaller lengths for removal in bulk containers, crews are cutting steel as larger sections that the crane can lower directly to the ground. Once removed to the ground, the high-quality steel is cut into smaller pieces and trucked away from the site for recycling.

Testing for the new method is being overseen by the city Department of Buildings to ensure safety, and the agency will determine whether or not to continue it as part of ongoing deconstruction. So far the process seems to be saving time, helping to keep the deconstruction on track for December 2010 completion.