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Design and construction drawings for the new building are nearly complete
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With new scaffolding and netting erected this month, Fiterman Hall's remediation is expected to begin soon pending approval by environmental regulators.
The update was shared by project officials on October 2nd at a public meeting hosted by the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). Representatives from the City University of New York (CUNY) and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), which own Fiterman Hall, spoke to community members alongside consultants from Airtek Environmental and Tishman Construction.
CUNY Vice Chancellor Iris Weinshall began the meeting by stating that the Signature Theater would not be part of the new Fiterman Hall. She said that CUNY and other city officials determined that the tower will not be large enough to accommodate the three distinct performing-arts spaces the Signature requires.
Weinshall also explained that CUNY expects approval for the year-long project soon from regulators from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state Department of Labor, and other agencies. Meanwhile, air monitoring around the building began in April 2007 and continues, using lessons learned from the 130 Liberty Street project to "inform the Fiterman Hall deconstruction process," she said.
Accordingly, the Fire Department has inspected the building several times, including testing fire standpipes on the north and south sides of the buildings. Area firehouses also have building floor plans on hand and are familiar with access points in what is considered a fairly simpler structure.
Unlike the 130 Liberty Street building, Fiterman Hall is much smaller in height and footprint, which allows crews to fully decontaminate the 15-story tower before deconstruction starts. That remediation work will occur under negative air pressure to keep potential contaminants inside the building.
Airtek Vice President Benn Lewis added that the team may add switches at ground level to instantly shut off the negative air pressure system in the event of a fire or other emergency. Fire-retardant plastic, plywood, and sheetrock also will be used as necessary to seal the building and partition off cleaned areas.
Andy Bachman from Tishman Construction said that the building has been made ready for remediation and deconstruction, including use of temporary lighting and signage within the building, as well as marked pathways for clear egress. Unused electrical circuits and wiring have been removed, and elevators are cleaned and operational for use during the cleaning.
There are full-time site-safety managers on duty at Fiterman Hall, as well as 24-hour security teams and controlled site access. Independent environmental inspections are regular, as are site-specific worker training sessions and daily safety meetings.
The project will be part of the city's pilot program for emergency community notification. The city Office of Emergency Management, also at the meeting, said that notification program planning is underway and should be rolled out soon. Stakeholders will be able to opt-in using their street address, email address, and phone numbers as contact information. Local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) will be integral to the program.
Meanwhile, design and construction drawings for the new Fiterman Hall are now 90 percent complete. "The only thing in our way is the current Fiterman Hall," Lewis said.
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