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An update was given on the Fiterman Hall deconstruction
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A summary of Fiterman Hall's remediation and deconstruction plans was presented to the downtown community on Monday, October 30th, in a public information session hosted by Community Board 1 and the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). In the meeting, officials from City University of New York (CUNY) and its consulting team explained that the building's deconstruction will follow regulator approvals, expected in the coming months.
Currently, CUNY and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), which own Fiterman Hall, are finalizing plans to remove scaffolding and netting around the building that was installed after September 11, 2001. Those plans are now being reviewed by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulators, and, pending their approval, the scaffold replacement could take place before the end of 2006.
The scaffolding replacement is necessary for Fiterman Hall's decontamination, serving as a safe enclosure for the building's damaged façade, in particular the "gash area" on its south side. Air monitoring equipment will be stationed on the scaffolding's highest platforms as the 14-story building is deconstructed.
Meanwhile, CUNY and DASNY's consultants are at work on final remediation and deconstruction plans that detail procedures established to protect workers within the building and the surrounding community from potential contaminants. The plans also explain the process of searching the building's roof and interior for human remains.
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| Members of the community attended the meeting at BMCC |
In the meeting, Benn Lewis of Airtek Environmental walked attendees through primary project elements (available here and on the EPA's website, along with other project documents including the initial building characterization report). Lewis, whose team is collaborating with PAL Environmental Services and Tishman Construction, said that the utmost care will be taken to clean the 370,000-square-foot building and safely remove its contents, ductwork, mechanicals, and structural parts.
Air monitors will be set up around the building's perimeter, Lewis said, and will track particulate matter, metals, silica, and asbestos. He added that on 9/11, a complete renovation of Fiterman Hall was near completion, and therefore its asbestos had already been almost entirely abated.
Also at the meeting, Leslie Mesnick, a consultant from environmental engineering firm AKRF, presented the Emergency Action and Community Notification Plan. The document explains the role of each company involved with the remediation and deconstruction, who the first responders will be in the event of an emergency, and where community members can find information about any on-site events.
The CUNY and DASNY team ended the meeting with a question-and-answer session and committed to holding regular public meetings throughout the deconstruction process, in addition to providing updates to the community board. BMCC President Antonio Perez noted that follow-up questions can be sent via email to fitermanhallinfo@bmcc.cuny.edu.
Visit the Fiterman Hall Project Update page for additional information. LowerManhattan.info also will continue to post documents and other information related to the deconstruction.
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