After a period of public and written comments, state parks department officials will proceed with plans to demolish 14 deteriorating buildings on the Kings Park Psychiatric Center property.
Calling it the "first phase of the long-term remediation," parks commissioner Carol Ash said Wednesday the demolition is in the public's interest.
"Removing abandoned structures that have deteriorated to the point that there is no possibility of future reuse will eliminate some safety and security risks at the property," Ash said in a news release.
Most comments at a March public hearing, along with 60 written comments, were in favor of the demolition, the state said, although Smithtown's planning director has asked that some historically significant buildings among the 84 on the site be spared.
"Today's announcement is another positive step for this community and a clear sign that progress is being made in our efforts to keep the park in Kings Park," said State Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport).
The area's three main civic associations - Nissequogue River State Park Foundation, Kings Park Civic Association, and Kings Park Neighbors Association - also applauded the news.
Ash and her deputies announced in late February that the demolition would cost $14 million, and wouldn't begin for at least a year. Both the demolition and a $3.6 million comprehensive study of the property will be funded by $29 million already secured by Flanagan for the property's remediation.
According to state parks, the property's buildings contain lead and asbestos as well as five miles of underground steam tunnels containing asbestos, an ash landfill and on-site burial of construction debris.
The buildings were chosen because of safety concerns and lack of future use.
Flanagan and the civic associations have been imploring state parks to keep the entire 517 acres as parkland, but the state has not made a firm commitment.
This article was
written by STACEY ALTHERR
and published by Newsday
on Sunday, May 3rd 2009 and NOT owned by nor affiliated with opacity.us, but are recorded here solely for educational use.