Answering questions: Aren’t there environmental issues in this area? What about flooding? What about mold?

Environmental testing in progress March 2019

​Good questions!

​Pendragon contracted with Ambient Environmental, Inc. to do both Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental studies. Phase 1 is primarily research of maps, databases, and usage, and based on the history of the area, which includes historic property usage on and nearby the property including an automobile garage, telephone company, printing shop, filling station with gas tanks and greasing station, church, library, and other uses, further analysis was warranted. The Phase 1 report was 461 pages!

An underground storage tank behind the 56 Woodruff building was removed in 2002, along with contaminated soil. The DEC classifies that situation as Closed.

In March, 2019 Ambient did testing (one test boring shown above) including ground-penetrating radar and soil borings  to determine any other environmental issues. Ambient has told us current environmental conditions do not constitute significant environmental risk. The building tiles do include asbestos, but based on the composition of the tiles, no special handling is required.

​In other words, we are good to go based on everything we know now!

So what about flood risk?

​The photo above was taken May 4, 2018 during very high water. The view is toward the Woodruff St bridge from behind the Eye Care center (across the street from 56 Woodruff). As you can see, the bank here is much higher than it is on the far side of the bridge, where there were significant flooding problems that day. The river posed no risk to 56 Woodruff in that significant storm event.

What about mold?

The environmental assessment did not identify mold as a problem, although there have been leaks and water damage at different times, and the roof will need to be replaced when we begin construction and renovation.