By Joe Flynn
Thursday, June 14, 2012. A public informational meeting was held at the Nissequogue River State Park concerning the demolition of buildings formerly part of the Kings Park Psychiatric Center. The meeting hosted by Ron Foley, regional director of State Parks, addressed questions about the demolition schedule, methods and safety concerns.
Dvirka & Bartilucci Consulting Engineers (D&B) are currently contracted to manage the project. D&B spokesperson, Frank DeVita, addressed the method of demolition and the equipment to be used. He indicated the equipment was specifically designed to ensure safety. DeVita addressed the concerns about air pollution and noise pollution that have some Kings Park residents worried. To this end, D&B will set up four monitoring stations around each demolition site with each measuring dust, hazardous particles, and noise pollution. Data from these stations will be transmitted directly to staff computers through a remote modem. In the case of an exceedance of any of these emission levels, work will be stopped until engineers find a way to decrease the emission.
Each demolition area will be completely contained, with check-in stations at each entrance preventing anyone from accidentally wandering onto a hazardous demolition site.
The “only major change” in the project since the initial contract with D&B has been the method for demolishing the famous smokestack, which sits close to the north end of Old Dock Road. The smokestack will now undergo a “controlled implosion” from dynamite placed as high as 35 feet from the ground. With the bottom blown out, the smokestack is expected to collapse straight down, without any major hazard. Before demolition, the structure will be wrapped in 9-gauge geotextile, a fabric fence designed to stop debris and dust from escaping.
Despite the minimal hazard anticipated, precautions are being established in the form of a 1000-foot exclusion zone to be maintained during the implosion and for 72 hours afterward. The blast itself is expected to last only 5 seconds and will not exceed noise ordinances.
Nissequogue River State Park will remain open while demolition is occurring. The project has been pushed back once again, and is now expected to begin “in late July” and continue for 8 months. A total of 19 buildings are intended to be demolished. Most of these will be demolished individually, except those, which are located in clusters, such as Buildings 122 and 123. As each work site will be separately contained, park patrons and activities are not expected to be negatively impacted.
Approximately 40 people were in attendance. If residents at the meeting had one concern, it was for the schools. Now that the project will not begin until late summer, it will likely spana good part of the school year. This is a special concern for San Remo Elementary School, William T. Rogers Middle School, and Kings Park High School, all of which are located directly adjacent to former Psychiatric Center Property. Several residents complained both of difficulty in communication with State Park Police and a lack of a public schedule for the demolition. Mr. Foley made assurances that these issues will be resolved well before the actual project begins. The school board and local parents requested that the demolition schedule be planned with consideration for the public school schedule, for which they received an indefinite answer.
D&B plans to launch a website explaining the details of this project. The site will be online within the next couple of weeks at kppccleanup.com.