Message from the Mayor: Building 52 next steps, Hastings Weekend, 8-12 Washington Ave.
Posted on: July 14, 2016 - 1:01pm
Fellow Residents;
We face the final steps on determining the Building 52 Demolition Permit, a set of enjoyable family-oriented activities this coming weekend, and, finally, a note on a NY Department of Environmental Conservation action regarding historic contamination present at 8-12 Washington Avenue.
Building 52 Demolition Permit
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Right on the heels of the Consent Decree approval last meeting, we now face a final review of the demolition permit for Building 52 (that last, large remaining building on the waterfront). BP has submitted substantial documentation describing the demolition (here). We have asked our consultant engineer, village attorney, environmental attorney and building inspector to weigh in. The Board will hear the recommendations of the review team as well as ask our own questions at the next meeting. If we have enough to determine a decision, we will move forward with a vote at our next meeting on August 23rd.
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A pleasant time ahead this weekend for those in town. A number of activities:
Friday
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Window Painting: Revenge of the adults if you envy the kids who paint store windows during Halloween. Sign up at the Community Center, pick an available window, and go to it.
Friday Night outdoor movie under the stars at 7PM at Zinsser Field: “Norm of the North”, an animation for the family.
Saturday
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Noodle Day (10AM-2PM) and the Boat Regatta, a series of two-person cardboard-and-duct tape raft races at the Pool starting at 3PM.
Live music, Beatles tribute band ("Ob La Di") up at Zinnser park, Saturday night, 7PM.
Sunday
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Sunday at Chemka pool, we have an open-early member swim from 8:00-11AM, followed by a Seniors-only (member or not) Splash from 11:00AM to 1PM and then a Family Fun day for pool members and all residents from 1:00-5:00PM
Proposed DEC action at 8-12 Washington
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In the early days of Hastings, a "gas works" operated at what is now 10 Washington Avenue starting around 1860. These facilities baked coal to free the methane and other gases, which were then captured and piped to the gaslights that had begun to light cities back then. This facility closed sometime between 1893 and 1902 and left behind a gas holder and tar well (yes, a tar well is a thing) and pollutants that still exists below the slab of the standing buildings on that site.
The DEC sampled the site both below the slab and within the building. No traces of what are known as VOCs (volatile organic compounds, the fumes usually associated with hydrocarbons like methane or gasoline) and other compounds (specifically Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, similar to VOCs) were found within the buildings, while some trace amounts were found in the sampling below the concrete slab beneath the buildings (as well as some metals which were probably in fill that was brought to the site). The DEC describes this contamination here, with a copy at the library and the proposed remedy for this site, which is that there is no current remediation action recommended (it would require taking the structures down)(summarized here), and should the buildings one day be torn down, at that time a further investigation would determine what sort of remediation would be needed. A deed restriction limiting the site to a restricted residential, commercial and industrial use is also recommended, as well as treatment of the ground water if someone wishes to drink it (tap water comes from the Catskills and is safe). The DEC is asking for public comment until August 11th to be mailed to Sarah Saucier, DEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-7014. Con Edison owns the liability for this site, having bought firms which had bought firms, in a chain back in history, which were responsible for the pollution. The Village has no role in this process.
See you around town,