Nine months after workers demolished the East River Park amphitheater, asbestos abatement is starting this week at the site near Corlears Hook, the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced.
The work is expected to take place for the next four to six weeks during daytime hours, according to the weekly construction bulletin.
The abatement raised concern among some local residents and activists.
From an Instagram post last week by 1000 People 1000 Trees:
A little late, the amp was demolished by ESCR last year in December 2021 when, after we raised concerns, the DDC told us there was no asbestos at the amphitheater.
For months the earth & foundation have been exposed. Video from March 2022 show no signs of protection against asbestos. @NYCDDC previously claimed there was no asbestos at the amp, yet now they announce asbestos abatement?
For months the path used to access the Corlears Hook Ferry went through this area and is adjacent to the small patch of land, “passive lawn,” that was set up as a replacement park which is currently open to the public.
We asked Ian Michaels, a spokesperson for the DDC, about the abatement.
“We had studied that structure and believed it to be asbestos-free. The Parks Department had also worked there in 2001 and said the same,” Michaels said. “Then after the demolition of the above-ground structure, a new underground area was found. Work stopped, testing was done and asbestos was found on some pipe insulation in the new area. As a result, the job was stopped and a licensed asbestos abatement contractor has been hired to clean the site.”
Michaels shared a diagram showing where the new underground area was found, in a spot behind the amphitheater.
Here’s more from the weekly construction bulletin about the asbestos work:
[T]he public’s safety is a priority and our team will ensure abatement work will be done in accordance with all local, state, and federal guidelines, and safely contain and dispose of material. In addition to the continued use of air monitors in the work area.
The removal of materials containing asbestos will be completed by a subcontractor certified in asbestos removal, with environmental oversight performed by an independent consultant. The public may see workers in Tyvek suits as it is necessary for these individuals to wear protective gear because they will be in close proximity with the asbestos-containing materials on a daily basis.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is also mandatory for their work.
All asbestos materials will be isolated and contained in a fully enclosed Containment Zone, and within this zone, materials will be placed in sealed containers and trucked offsite.
Meanwhile, this past Thursday, activists gathered outside local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera’s East Village office calling for her resignation — and for her to drop out of the race for New York’s open 10th Congressional District seat.
To date, work on the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency project in East River Park has focused on cutting down trees and demolishing the amenities, mostly below Stanton Street. Workers will bury the 57.5-acre land under fill and elevate it by 8-to-10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges.
The city has said they will maintain public access to a minimum of 42 percent of the park throughout construction, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.