NEW YORK | 130 Liberty Street Deconstruction

[NYguy]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08222007...alted_agai.htm

WTC, PAST & FUTURE: HALTED AGAIN?



Fatal: The Deutsche Bank building burns last weekend.



August 22, 2007 -- NEW Yorkers who care passionately about the future of the World Trade Center site - those who understand that Downtown's fate still depends on that, despite the area's current boom - can only pray for a swift resumption of work at 130 Liberty St., where two firefighters lost their lives last weekend.

More of Ground Zero's rebirth than first seems apparent depends on the complete demolition of the old Deutsche Bank tower. Common sense, however, suggests that it might be a long time - not just a few days or even weeks - before the takedown of the tragic, contaminated hulk can resume.

If the delay drags on, there's no telling how badly it might derail the reclamation of a site that has taken six years to gain traction.

The importance of the Liberty Street demolition was explained in detail by The New York Times' David W. Dunlap last winter. For starters, the site must be cleared before the LMDC can turn it over to the Port Authority, which will then hand it over to JP Morgan Chase to start work on its planned new headquarters tower there.

The PA technically has until mid-2009 to turn the land over to the bank - but that's based on an option to extend a more desirable deadline of mid-2008. Who can say how JP Morgan's confidence in the deal might be jarred by a year's delay?

The Deutsche site, as Dunlap explained, is also intricately linked to conditions on the north side of Liberty Street in Ground Zero itself. In a nutshell, the PA can't fulfill its commitment to construct new underground infrastructure there without first having access to the earth beneath 130 Liberty St., because the two sites are connected by sewer pipes.

Without being able to dig under 130 Liberty St. and moving the pipes, the PA can't create a new "bathtub" along Ground Zero's south side. Without the bathtub, it can't build an underground vehicle security center there. And without the vehicular facility, Dunlap pointed out, it can't provide the truck access Larry Silverstein will need to complete the interiors of Towers 3 and 4 - the first two of three office buildings he is to develop in Ground Zero, and on which he is to start work immediately after Jan. 1.

In fact, a downtown rebuilding official ominously told me yesterday, "Not having the vehicle security center will negatively affect everything - not just Silverstein's buildings, but also the Freedom Tower, the Memorial and the new PATH terminal."

PA officials say the delay at 130 Liberty St. won't affect its construction of a new east bathtub wall, which it's obliged to finish by Dec. 31; assuming they're right, Silverstein can at least start on Towers 3 and 4 on time.

But - and here's the scary part - the PA must also finish the south bathtub by the fourth quarter of 2010, according to agency spokesman John McCarthy. A prolonged delay in completing the removal of 130 Liberty St. - which seems highly likely, given the time it will surely take to learn what went wrong and to implement new safety procedures - can easily push the south bathtub job back.

That looming possibility can throw monkey wrenches into the whole process.

Both the PA and Silverstein are contractually bound to meet various deadlines, and must pay heavy fines if they fail to meet them. But what if circumstances make meeting those deadlines impossible?

Why, for example, should the PA be penalized for not completing the south bathtub on time if it's physically impossible to do that because 130 Liberty St. hasn't been fully cleared yet?

Why should Silverstein start construction on a giant tower without assurance that he'll be able to finish it?

A well-informed downtown source says Silverstein could, in theory, complete Towers 3 and 4 by letting trucks in through Church Street. But that limited access would be insufficient to allow tenants to build out their new floors or move in.

Why should tenants sign leases when they can't be sure when they can claim their space?

These questions, assuming a worst-case chain of events, might sound paranoid. But Ground Zero's tortured history makes paranoia justified. Let us hope all parties find a way not to let 130 Liberty St. become any more permanent than it already seems.

[Daquan13]

This is nuts!!

How many damn times does THIS make now? That this hunk of junk's deconstruction has been stopped?

They need to try to find out who that careless worker was who was smoking,
fire his butt and charge him for involuntary manslaughter!!!

Let's see, it was haulted because of;

1. Bone fragments were found.

2. More bone fragments were found again.

3. A pipe fell through the roof of a nearby fire station.

4. Now this - an inexcusable deadly fire.

5. And if that's not enough, to put the icing on the cake, a careless operator of a small forklift
causes a section of the scalfolding to fall!!! What's next?

[CitySkyline]

Call me an optimist, but I don't see the fire causing too much of a delay. Considering how much is at stake, I imagine that the high-level people (e.g., Governor, etc.) will push to have the investigation done quickly and then they'll go back to work on the demolition. I'd guess at most there'll be a 1 or 2 month delay, which all things considered, isn't that big of a delay.

[Daquan13]

That means that there'll be 1 or 2 months longer that this ugly monstrocity will be standing!

[Daquan13]

(Edit)

[WonderlandPark]

Jeebus this building is CURSED!

NY Times:
Construction Accident at Deutsche Bank Building


A piece of heavy equipment being used to work on the problem-plagued Deutsche Bank building, which suffered a fire on Saturday, fell this afternoon, injuring two firefighters, city officials said.

Work to demolish the building, located across the street from the World Trade Center and damaged in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, had been halted after Saturday’s fire, which killed two firefighters. But a small coterie of workers was still there today to shore up the damaged and condemned building, remove debris and contain toxic material when the accident occurred just before 2 p.m., fire officials said.

[CarlosV]

OMG THE HORROR CONTINUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index...id=1&aid=72898


August 23, 2007

At least two firefighters were injured this afternoon when construction equipment being used at the Deutsche Bank building fell to the ground, hours after crews began doing remedial work on the building following Saturday’s deadly fire.

The Empire State Development Corporation said that around 2:15 p.m. a pallet jack fell from the 23rd floor of the building and struck a temporary shed. The two firefighters were injured as they were walking in the safety perimeter around the building.

All work on the site has been halted and all workers have been removed from the site.

Sources tell NY1 that the construction equipment likely fell from an outside elevator or hoist that was carrying it up the north side of the building.

The firefighters were taken to Saint Vincent's Medical Center – one with head injuries. The other is said to have sustained minor injuries. They are both said to be in stable condition.

Preliminary reports indicated that several construction workers were also injured, but that information has not been confirmed.

Demolition work at the WTC site skyscraper was suspended after the tragic fire that killed firefighters Robert Beddia and Joseph Graffagnino on Saturday, but remedial work began this morning on the south side of the building between the 20th and 26th floors to remove debris and contain toxic material inside the building to make the site safe.

Residents in the area have long complained about the safety of the site.

"The building probably should have come down at least three years ago, but because of money and insurance it has remained,” said neighborhood resident Andy Jurinko. “I live probably 75 feet from the Deutsche bank. I go in and out of the entrance way every day, walking past the Deutsche Bank… It has been treacherous. It's been a disastrous area for the last six years."

Earlier today, residents who live near the building were advised to keep their windows closed while the remedial work was being performed.

A spokesman for the ESDC said crews began work this morning to make the site safe.

E-mails and calls were put out to residents advising them to close their windows in case of flying debris. The ESDC says people should not be concerned about air quality.

Before any work could begin, crews had to receive clearance from the Fire Department and the Department of Buildings because a stop-work order is still in effect, meaning demolition cannot take place. Before today’s incident, remedial work was expected to go on for several days.

Nearby residents say they've become accustomed to these types of problems living in the area.

"It's just a little inconvenience,” said one resident. “We can't drive through the neighborhood, and we’ve got to go through the checkpoints. But other than that, there's really no problems at all.”

“It's not too bad. I have to come in the back door, which isn't too difficult,” added another. “The only annoying thing is there's no access to the front. But other than that, it's not too bad."

The investigation into what caused Saturday's blaze continues. FDNY records show that the last time a comprehensive inspection was done on the failed standpipe system was back in March of 2005. According to department regulations, standpipes in buildings being demolished are to be inspected every 15 days.

The city has also admitted that it did not have a plan to fight a fire in the building, even though one is required to stay up to code.

The sub-contractor in charge of demolition has been fired. The John Galt Company was declared in default of its contract by the site's contractor.

The city says the building had a history of violations from the Department of Buildings, including several fines this year for failure to properly remove combustible material and debris.

The Manhattan district attorney's office and the state attorney general are both investigating the fire.

[Daquan13]

I think OSHA seriously needs to step in and lay the smackdown on whoever is in charge of this work, because it seems as though people are getting away with some serious and dangerous violations here!!

[Austin55]

wow,this is crap.I will be glad to see all of it end!

[JManc]

why don't they just implode the rest of it?

[Daquan13]

They can't do it that way because imploding it would STILL pose a health hazard should there still be any lingering asbestos, mold, mildew and/or other airborne toxins.

Then the city or the co. in charge of the demolition work might have heavy lawsuits on there hands from affected families.

That, in turn, might start a chain reaction. Stuff would start being hallted and Ground Zero's rebuild might come to a screeching halt.

As the goat in the Geico commercial says; "Nah,nah, nah!!" Can't have that. It could also contaminate new construction there.

[andydie]

Any news if or when they will restart the demolition again? Thanx

[Daquan13]

Haven't heard anything on that yet. I'm waiting for the news to break on it myself.

[pattali]

the buiding demolition ...

[Daquan13]

Have they resumed the demo work yet?

[Ghost]

http://www.lowermanhattan.info/const...et__77170.aspx

Deconstruction operations are on hold at the 40-story building at 130 Liberty Street as of August 18, 2007, following a fire on the building's 13th to 18th floors. Currently, the tower is deconstructed to the 26th floor.

[nickkoto]

If anyone was curious, here's a not-so-new update.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008...ost_more_.html

[westmc9th]

[NYC4Life]

How many floors are left to be dismantled?

[GioFX]

about 5, according to the latest PA report:

*The following information was last updated on October 1, 2010.

Deconstruction:

* Deconstruction of the building is now on floors 5 and 6, moving downward.
* A mobile crane is now parked on Washington St between Albany and Cedar Streets for steel removal
* The projected end date for deconstruction is December 2010/January 2011.
* Contractor Bovis is now working double shifts, weekdays from 7:30 am to midnight
* Contractor Bovis Lend Lease resumed deconstruction November 16, 2009.
* Building abatement concluded in November 2009.
* LMDC posted the approved Implementation Plan for Deconstruction and the Environment, Health, Safety and Emergency Action Plan, at http://www.renewnyc.com/plan_des_dev...ction_plan.asp

Any pictures?