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FAQ
ANSWERS UPDATE 02/28/07 (click
on title) Links to Section Headers Below
Q: What is this property? A: The property (also referred to as the “site”) is an abandoned State health institution. It contains a large number of abandoned buildings including, to name a few, hospital buildings, residential buildings, a powerhouse and a theater.
Q: Why is it called NPDC? A: The last use of the property was as the North Princeton Developmental Center (“NPDC”).
Q: How much land does the State own? A: The State of New Jersey (“the State”) purchased six farms in Skillman between 1898 and 1920 in order to establish the New Jersey Village for Epileptics (the “Village”). The thousand-plus acres included land on both sides of Route 601 and Burnt Hill Road south of Skillman Road. LINK TO MAP Much of this land has already been sold by the State and developed with a variety of uses including the St. Charles of Borromeo Roman Catholic Church, Selody Sod farm, the new Montgomery Township High School, and the future home to SAVE/A Friend of Homeless Animals. Montgomery Township is expected to purchase approximately 256 acres south of the sod farm between Route 601 and Burnt Hill Road. The State will continue to own the farmland surrounding the new high school as well as the Skillman Dairy farm that is operated by the Department of Corrections and is located on the east side of Burnt Hill Road.
Q: Is any part of the site historical? A: Yes, the original State Village for Epileptics. It was inspired by the German Bielefeld Epileptic Colony and operated as a self-contained, self-sustaining community. It consisted of hospitals, housing, farmland, maintenance areas, schools, cemeteries, a power plant, a wastewater treatment facility and an on-site landfill. The Village became a model for progressive institutional care in the United States where patients typically performed much of the construction, landscaping and farming operations. For more information,"A History of the New Jersey State Village for Epileptics" by local historian Walter Baker, 2005 2nd Edition, Addendum 3 of the NPDC Master Plan Report, is available to view at the Township Planning Department or for purchase from the Van Harlingen Historic Society.
Q: I read that this property was named one of the “Ten Most Endangered Places” by Preservation New Jersey. Why does the property look like a ghost town? A: In 1995, NPDC was closed by the State of New Jersey and the last remaining patients were removed in 1998. Even before the facility officially closed its doors, buildings were left vacant and not properly maintained. When the State officially abandoned the property there was minimal maintenance and security provided to the site and it was left to rapidly deteriorate into what stands today. This historic property has been left to languish and the public has witnessed the tragic “demolition by neglect.”
Q: What is the history of the property? A: This property has a long and fascinating
history. A brief timeline has been prepared that highlights important
historical events related to the property as well as the most current
milestones. Click HERE to view a copy. Q: What exactly is the Township purchasing? A: The Township is purchasing about 256 acres of land – an historic state-owned institution located near the geographic center of Montgomery Township – as well as a sewage treatment plant with an authorized capacity of 500,000 gallons per day.
Q: Why is the Township buying the property? A: To control the future of the largest remaining parcel of land located in the heart of the community and to ensure that environmental conditions are remediated to the satisfaction of the Township.
Q: How long has the Township pursued this property? A: Since 1995, the property has been the subject of deliberation and action by the Township of Montgomery including pursuit of the property for acquisition.
Q: Has the State ever considered building anything on site? A: Yes. The State of New Jersey proposed development options that did not reflect the community’s vision, and were not in conformance with the Township Master Plan.
Q: Does the Township own the site yet? A: No. While a Township ordinance was passed on December 7, 2006 approving the Purchase and Sale Agreement with the State, the final transfer of the property awaits the formal closing, anticipated to take place on or before January 22, 2007.
Q: What are the terms and conditions of the purchase of the property by the Township from the State of New Jersey? A: On December 22, 2005, the Township and the State of New Jersey signed a Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) for the purchase of the property and sewage treatment plant, which outlines all of the terms and conditions. A purchase and sale contract was drafted based on the MOA and approved by the Township Committee on December 7, 2006.
Q: Who are the key people working on this project? A: The Township Committee has responsibility
for the redevelopment of Skillman Village and is directly involved with
decisions that are made regarding the project. Municipal staff and professionals
including the Township Administrator, Township Chief Financial Officer,
Township Engineer, Township Planning Director and Township Health Officer
run the day-to-day operations of the project. Outside consultants have
been hired to advise the Township, including: Joe Sorge and Chris Daggett
of JM Sorge, Inc. (remediation/environmental oversight); Richard Crooker
Esq. (remediation transaction attorney); and Patrick Phillips of Economics
Research Associates (development and economic advisor). The DEP Case
Manager for the environmental investigation and remediation is Jerri
Weigand. Q: What is envisioned for the future of the site? A: The Township envisions the park-like
atmosphere and the integrity of the original village layout to be maintained
and the site transformed into a thriving cultural, educational, recreational
and civic hub. It would include innovative elements of sustainable design
and public lawns and plazas to serve as vibrant gathering spots for
the community. In addition to civic, cultural and recreational amenities,
a variety of revenue-generating land uses are envisioned. The exact
density and mix of uses will be further refined as part of the redevelopment
plan.
Q: Who is drafting the redevelopment plan? Is there a schedule for planning activities? A: The Township will create the redevelopment plan with the assistance of a professional planning consultant and with considerable input from the community. Presently the Township is considering a variety of consulting firms that are best suited to work on this project. The Township intends to adopt a redevelopment plan that achieves the vision of the community and is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. The Township has prepared extensive background planning information in the Master Plan for NPDC and anticipates that the redevelopment planning activities will take place in the first half of 2007. For more information go to: NPDC Master Plan
Q: How can the Township and residents be confident that the redevelopment plan is viable? A: The Township has retained Economics
Research Associates (“ERA”) to assist in developing a redevelopment
plan that is economically viable given a set of constraints and objectives
including, but not limited to, the Township’s vision, traffic
impact, capacity of the sewage treatment plant, market conditions, developer
interest, and the Township’s desire to recover costs. Q: What opportunities will there be for public input into what happens with Skillman Village? A: Public participation is a very important part of the redevelopment planning for Skillman Village. In addition to meeting all the legal requirements for public participation, the Township is committed to meaningful public engagement in the form of charettes, workshops and public meetings during the preparation of the redevelopment plan. Typically, a charette brings together stakeholders in a workshop format where participants form small groups to discuss an issue so that alternative designs are generated for review and discussion by the full group. It is an important way for residents to get involved early in the process. Further, the public will have the opportunity to meet the final development firms being considered for the redevelopment.
Q: How will the public be kept informed of progress as environmental remediation, building demolition and redevelopment proceed? A: The Township will keep the public informed via multiple media outlets including but not limited to: a monthly column in the Township newsletter, electronic bulletins via email, Township website, Township Committee meetings, “back-pack mailings” via public schools, and local newspapers (i.e., Princeton Packet, Montgomery News, Courier News, Trenton Times and Star Ledger) and other broadcast media. A series of Public Forums will be conducted regarding the environmental remediation work and other aspects of that project, and will include question and answer discussions with Township officials, consultants and practitioners. These forums will be organized in cooperation with the project’s environmental and planning professionals. When possible, panel discussions will be broadcast on Channel 14 Cable Television.
Q: How can I subscribe
to the Township E-bulletins service? Public
involvement and input into this project is welcomed and encouraged.
Questions? Contact Planning Director, Lori Savron, 908-359-8211 ext.
206, lsavron@twp.montgomery.nj.us
or Community Information Officer, Tammy Garaffa, 908-359-8211 ext. 207,
tgaraffa@twp.montgomery.nj.us.
Q: What contaminants and/or hazardous materials are present at the site, where are they located, and what is the procedure that will be followed for safe abatement and remediation for each? A: The primary contaminants on the site are related to residuals from the former heating systems (coal and oil) used at the site, abandoned sewage treatment beds, and vehicle fueling and maintenance areas. The principal areas affected are the abandoned Powerhouse area, the sewage treatment plant area (also known as the Waste Water Treatment Plant, or WWTP), and associated garage areas. The other primary contaminant of concern is asbestos insulation material associated with the former steam line heating system and the old buildings on the site. The asbestos covered steam pipes will be removed and disposed of off-site. The asbestos in buildings will be removed prior to demolition or rehabilitation and also disposed of off-site. The contents of the WWTP beds, coal ash landfill and soil piles will be excavated and securely placed on-site for re-use or disposed of off-site in accordance with regulations. One remaining underground storage tank will be removed and disposed of off-site. Impacted groundwater will be treated using in-situ biological technology. Sampling and testing will be performed to verify effective completion of the cleanup. A Scope of Work Summary, dated November 7, 2006 summarizes the work.
Q: Why isn’t the State responsible for the environmental remediation of the site? A: The State is responsible for the environmental remediation, but from the outset of purchase and sale negotiations with the Township, the State’s position has remained unchanged that the responsibility would be transferred to the buyer of the property. This is consistent with the sale of land for the Village Elementary School and the new high school in which the Board of Education was responsible for the environmental remediation.
Q: Who is completing the environmental remediation? A: Weston Solutions, Inc. Weston is a leading environmental remediation company, founded in 1957 with local offices in Edison, NJ and West Chester, PA. Weston has significant experience and an excellent track record with respect to safety and environmental compliance on all its projects. Weston was selected from a highly-qualified group of firms that specialize in remediation and which had responded to a Request for Proposals (RFP) that was released by the Township in 2005. On December 7, 2006, the Township awarded a Guaranteed Fixed Price Environmental Liability Transfer Agreement (“ELTA”) to Weston. Through the ELTA, Weston will assume the risk, responsibility and liability associated with and necessary for remediation of the environmental contamination at the property for a fixed price.
Q: Is the same company doing the environmental remediation and the demolition of the buildings? A: No. Weston’s agreement – the Guaranteed Fixed Price Environmental Liability Transfer Agreement (“ELTA”) – requires Weston to assume the risk, responsibility and liability associated with and necessary for remediation of the environmental contamination at the property for a fixed price. The building demolition work is separate and distinct from the environmental remediation and associated transfer of liability and therefore, the building demolition work will be completed under a separate contract. Although the environmental remediation and building demolition work will be completed under separate contracts, Weston and the demolition contractor will be contractually required to cooperate and coordinate their separate, but sometimes overlapping, activities. The Township has hired JM Sorge, Inc. to oversee both contracts to ensure quality control and complete and full environmental and health and safety compliance.
Q: What measures will be taken to ensure the public’s safety during environmental remediation and building demolition? A: In soliciting proposals from qualified environmental remediation firms, the Township made it clear that the highest priority of the environmental remediation process is safety, particularly considering that the Village Elementary School is located in the middle of the site. Before remediation or demolition commences, a Health and Safety (H&S) Plan will be submitted and approved by the Township. Federal OSHA requirements must also be met. The Board of Education has been invited to review and comment on a draft of the H&S Plan. All work will be performed under the approved H&S plans and both the remediation and demolition processes will be overseen and inspected by a qualified H&S officer, and by JM Sorge, Inc., on behalf of the Township. Only trained and authorized personnel will be allowed within active environmental work zones. The Township is requiring a multi-layered monitoring system during active environmental remediation, asbestos abatement and demolition activities. First, the contractor personnel performing the activity will be equipped with personal monitoring devices. Second, Weston and the demolition contractor will operate an air monitoring system using stationary monitors placed down wind of the work zone. Third, the Township’s environmental consultant, JM Sorge, Inc., will also install separate monitors between the work zone and the Village Elementary School property and at the school property boundary as a third layer of protection. These monitors will provide continuous recordings of dust and other contaminant levels on-site. The purpose of the monitors is to immediately alert the on-site Health and Safety Officer and remediation workers that contaminant levels have exceeded the recommended amount. This would trigger an immediate shutdown of the work and correction of the problem. The Township is requiring the “threshold level” of contaminant detection to be set below what is required by the State so that air quality will never reach a level that exceeds the State’s standard. Thus, these monitoring devices will serve as an early warning system for any potential air quality problems at the site.
Q: Will I see the remediation work site? Will the workers wear special suits? A: The remediation work zone is not expected to be large in size. Most likely, it will look like a small construction site. When necessary, remediation workers will be wearing a white Tyvek coverall as required by State environmental regulations during asbestos remediation activities since these workers will be entering the “exclusion zone” (the work zone) directly.
Q: How long will it take? What will be the overall schedule for environmental remediation at the site? A: The Township anticipates that the majority of the actual site work necessary for the remediation will take between eighteen (18) and twenty-four (24) months to complete with the exception of certain groundwater monitoring and final regulatory closure.
Q: Is the coal ash safe for re-use as road-bed material, even though some of it may have been generated decades ago? A: The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”), the regulatory agency responsible for overseeing the remediation, considers coal ash as pre-approved for re-use as road-bed material. Weston will present the re-use of coal ash as road-bed material in its work plan to NJDEP. Any such use of coal ash would be completely capped by the road asphalt. A long-term Deed Notice would be placed on the site to permanently record the location of the recycled ash. Any future disturbance of this recorded area would require NJDEP approval. If NJDEP doesn’t approve re-use of the coal ash on site in that manner, Weston will remove the ash off-site for disposal.
Q: Will the public be kept informed of the progress of the environmental remediation? A: Yes. The Township will have regular meetings with Weston and status reports will be supplied to the Township on a regular basis. Information will be posted on the Township website and newsletter. In addition, the Township will hold periodic meetings for residents to ask questions and obtain information. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Q: The site contains a lot of old, abandoned buildings. What is the Township doing to address the buildings? A: The Township plans to demolish many of the seriously deteriorated buildings that are unsecured and frequently subject to trespassing and vandalism, along with those that do not contribute to the historic significance of the site.
Q: I heard some of the buildings are historic? Will the Township save any of them? A: Yes. Approximately 22 buildings of historic significance are being considered for reuse and will be secured and remain standing at this time. Because one of the buildings - John A. Voorhees/Maplewood House - is listed on both the National and State Registers of Historic Places, and the entire site is eligible for listing on the National Register, the Township consulted with the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) regarding building disposition. Revised Note: The Thompson Building, the large brick structure directly behind the Village School, has been added to the list of buildings to be demolished Summer, 2007. (Section amended 2/26/07)
Q: Is one company completing the environmental remediation and the demolition of the buildings? A: No. See Environmental Remediation Section.
Q: Who will demolish the buildings? A: The Township will undertake the building demolition through the selection of a qualified contractor to perform the work. The demolition contract will be publicly bid. Potential bidders are required to be experienced in demolition work that involves buildings containing asbestos, lead-based paint and other regulated material. Among the criteria for evaluating the qualifications of bidders will be their experience in successfully completing projects adjacent to sensitive receptors such as the Village Elementary School as well as their experience completing projects under the New Jersey Asbestos in Schools program.
Q: Is this a low-bid contract? A: Yes, this is a low bid contract.
Q: Could the Township end up hiring a “fly-by-night” contractor? A: No, the Township will not hire a “fly-by-night” contractor. The Township intends to award the contract to the “lowest responsible bidder.” This means that the Township must not only consider the bidder whose price is lowest, but also whether the bidder is “responsive” and “responsible.” A bidder is “responsive” if its bid conforms in all material respects to the terms and conditions, specifications, legal requirements and other provisions of the Township’s solicitation of bids. A bidder is “responsible” if the bidder is able to complete the contract in accordance with its requirements, including but not limited to requirements pertaining to experience, safety record, moral integrity, operating capacity, financial capacity, credit, workforce, equipment, and facilities available.
Q: When will demolition begin? A: Abatement and demolition of buildings will not begin until after school is dismissed for the summer, approximately June 23, 2007. This modification was in response to public comment. (Section amended 02/26/07) Q: These are old buildings - is there asbestos and lead-based paint in the buildings? A: Yes. Some buildings, depending on the age of construction, are assumed to contain lead-based paint, asbestos and other regulated materials. The paint and asbestos in these buildings now are unsecured and in a deteriorated state. Prior to demolition, the buildings will be sealed off and asbestos materials will be removed in an enclosed environment by licensed abatement contractors.
Q: Will the demolition contractor remove asbestos before demolishing the buildings? A: Yes. The demolition contractor is required to submit an asbestos abatement and disposal plan, prior to the start of work, for the Township’s review and approval. The contractor will be responsible to complete any and all asbestos testing, investigation and abatement necessary to complete the demolition and comply with all relevant regulations. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Q: Growing up I remember a lake on the property – what happened to it? A: A lake did exist and was open to the public. Over time, a build-up of sediment on the lake bottom, along with the partial removal of the dam structure, caused the water level to recede.
Q: Is it possible to restore the lake? A: Yes. As part of the redevelopment effort, the Township intends to restore the lake by dredging the lake sediments and restoring the dam structure so that water is once again retained.
Q: Will the sediment from the lake be re-used onsite? A: Yes. Data indicate that dredge material is not contaminated and is suitable for reuse. The Township intends for the dredge material to be placed and appropriately graded and seeded in the large field north of Lakeside Drive adjacent to the preserved farmland where prior sediments from dredging were placed. Some odors may be evident during the initial placement of the material.
Q: Is the Township required to take immediate action on the dam or could it wait for a developer to fix the dam and restore the lake? A: Within 6 months of acquiring the property from the State, the Township must submit a plan to the NJDEP that provides for either the restoration or the decommissioning of the dam. If the dam were to be decommissioned (i.e., permanently dismantled), current State regulations would prevent the reconstruction of the dam at any point in the future, regardless of whether the Township or a developer were making the application.
Q: Is the lake water or lake sediment contaminated? A: Sampling completed by Weston in 2006 did not indicate any contamination in the lake sediment. As is typical with similar bodies of water, the primary public health issue is salmonella and e.coli from goose waste.
Q: Will the Township have to pay additional costs if contamination is found in the lake sediment after dredging? A: No. Weston’s due diligence report indicates the sediment is not contaminated, but if contamination is found when the lake is dredged, it would not add to the cost of the contract since the Township’s agreement with Weston has that risk covered. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Q: Will there be open space and public access to the property? A: Yes, the Township envisions extensive open space and will provide public access to the property upon completion of the remediation and demolition activities. During the remediation and demolition activities, the property will be closed to the public except for limited access to the Village Elementary School via Main Boulevard. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Q: How will the Township select a redeveloper? A: The redeveloper(s) will be chosen by the Township following a thorough, competitive process that includes a great deal of community input.
Q: How long will it take to redevelop the property? A: Development projects of this size generally are constructed in phases over time. The Township anticipates upon designation of a redeveloper that final build-out of the site could take up to ten (10) years to complete. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10.
FINANCE A: The Township is paying $5.95 million for approximately 256 acres of land and a sewage treatment plant with treatment capacity of 500,000 gallons per day.
Q: What other costs has the Township agreed to be responsible for? A: The Township approved a guaranteed fixed price environmental remediation contract with Weston Solutions Inc. on December 7, 2006. The total contract amount is $8,528,561, including the Sylvan Lake restoration. This contract is known as the Guaranteed Fixed Price Environmental Liability Transfer Agreement (“ELTA”). The Township also approved an environmental insurance policy for a cost of $1,132,949.81. This policy is known as the Remediation Expense Containment and Premises Pollution Liability Policy (“Environmental Policy”), and provides two types of coverage: $8 million for cost overruns associated with performing the environmental remediation arising from or relating to known contamination and for Sylvan Lake work; and $10 million for protection against third party claims. Both the clean-up contract (ELTA) and the insurance policy (Environmental Policy) are conditions to the Purchase and Sale Agreement and are to be signed simultaneously at closing. In addition, the Township is expected to contract with a demolition contractor for the removal of unsafe and/or unwanted buildings. The upgrade of the sewage treatment plant will be paid for by the Sewer Utility and reimbursed through the collection of sewer connection fees from developments that hook onto the plant.
Q: Will the Township recover the costs associated with environmental remediation, building demolition, dam repair and Sylvan Lake restoration? A: Yes. It is the Township’s intent to recover most, if not all, costs associated with these activities through the sale or lease of land or through other means. The upgrade of the sewage treatment plant will be paid, for the most part, by hook up fees from developers.
Q: Is the Township pursuing grant funding that may be available? A: Yes. The Township is pursuing grant funding to help offset some of the initial costs.
Q: How much funding (debt) has the Township authorized for the acquisition, environmental remediation (including lake restoration) and demolition of buildings at the property? A: The Township authorized a total of $22,350,000 for the acquisition of the property, environmental remediation, building demolition, lake restoration, insurance costs and other soft costs, such as testing, survey and legal expenses. The Township also authorized $5.6 million for sewage treatment plant upgrade to be issued by the sewer utility.
Q: When will the Township actually incur debt to move ahead with the purchase and environmental remediation? A: The Township will incur debt as the Township needs funds for the various stages of the project. The first stage will commence in early 2007, when the Township Committee will need approximately $10 million for the purchase of the property and the first payments under the Weston agreement. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. LIABILITY TRANSFER/INSURANCE Q: Is the Township protected from costs associated with contamination that might have been overlooked, or from someone making a claim against the property? A: Yes. Upon taking ownership of the property, the Township will immediately transfer historic environmental liability risk, with limited exceptions, to Weston Solutions Inc. Risk is further managed through an insurance contract with Illinois Union Insurance Company (ACE), an AA rated environmental insurance company. The Weston and Illinois Union agreements protect against cost overruns for clean-up and the lake and dam work as well as claims by regulators or others for as yet unknown historical contamination of the property.
Q: What if Weston Solutions Inc. goes bankrupt? A: The contract with Weston allows payment over time such that the Township will not be as exposed to this risk as it would if the entire amount were paid in advance. There is also bond requirement on the part of Weston. The clean up and indemnification obligations of Weston are insured by Illinois Union, and will remain in place even if the contractor were to be insolvent. In fact, if the cost overrun coverage is triggered, and Weston is insolvent, the insurer must fund cost of completing the remaining remediation work up to the policy limits using another qualified firm selected by the Township.
Q: Is a 10-year insurance policy sufficient for the clean-up project? A: Yes. The insurance market is presently offering a 10-year policy term for environmental clean-up projects that are similar in size and scope to NPDC. Special counsel to the Township has recommended, and the Township Committee concurs, that the 10-year policy is reasonable to cover the life of the clean-up project. The field work associated with clean-up is projected to take between 18 to 24 months. Thereafter, Weston is required to obtain a “No Further Action” letter indicating that the clean-up has been completed and that no additional clean-up is required. The insurance is the secondary risk management tool the Township has employed here. The Township’s environmental liability transfer agreement transfers clean-up obligations and other risk to Weston. That transfer is not contingent on the insurance policy. The duties transferred to Weston and its obligation to indemnify the Township is not limited to the 10-year life or the dollar limits of the insurance policy coverage. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Q: Driving through the site I noticed a school. Why is there a public elementary school in the middle of a blighted, unsafe area? A: In 1999, Montgomery’s Board of Education purchased 12 acres from the State of New Jersey for the Village Elementary School. The site was thought to be optimal because of proximity to the other public schools, and because the school board assumed (as did the Township) that an agreement between the State and the Township to purchase the rest of the site would be completed fairly quickly. The Village Elementary School opened several years ago, with the Board of Education absorbing the cost of all environmental cleanup on the 12 acres. A similar deal was struck with the state to purchase land for the high school, with the school board again taking responsibility for clean-up costs.
Q: Is the NPDC site dangerous right now? A: Parts of the site are dangerous. For example, old buildings that may be structurally unsound are not secured. These buildings have been subjected to incidents of vandalism and arson in recent years. Exposed asbestos piping and peeling lead paint are in areas that curiosity-seekers may be able to access. The best way to abate these hazards and protect the public health is with a thorough, prompt, professional cleanup. Note that the Village Elementary School property was thoroughly cleaned before the school was built. Children, teachers and staff are not in danger at school or on school property, including the playground.
Q: Is there a plan to ensure the health and safety of children, teachers and staff at the village elementary school? A: Yes. Health and safety are the top priorities in environmental remediation and demolition. The companies responsible for environmental cleanup and demolition are required to prepare formal Health and Safety (“H&S”) plans. Those plans in this case must specifically address the health and safety of the students, faculty and staff of the Village Elementary School. The plans must be done to the satisfaction of the Township, and will be prepared with input from school officials, from the general public, and from safety experts including Montgomery Police Department, Montgomery Office of Emergency Management, Montgomery fire companies and emergency medical service (EMS) representatives.
Q: Will air quality be monitored during remediation and demolition work? A: Yes. Air Monitoring will be provided at the work site and perimeter locations (including between the work area and the school and at the school property boundary). These monitoring devices will be purposely set to alarm at a small fraction of the allowable limits to serve as an early warning so that if the alarm is triggered operations will be shut down before any problem can occur.
Q: I heard demolition will take place while school is in session. Why can’t demolition be done during the summer break? A: In response to public input, plans are being modified so that abatementand demolition of buildings will NOT take place while school is in session. This work will begin no sooner than June 23, 2007, after the school year ends and summer break begins. (Amended 02/26/07) Q: How will security be handled? A: The Township will have regular patrols of the site immediately upon taking ownership by the Montgomery Police Department. Areas of the site that are in the process of being remediated or in areas where buildings are being demolished will be blocked off (e.g. fenced) from the rest of the site. The Township Department of Public Works will work to immediately secure the 22 buildings to remain standing at this time.
Q: How will the Township ensure that the contractors take the precautions they say they will take? Who will oversee the demolition from a safety perspective? A: The Township has engaged JM Sorge, Inc. to assist with the oversight of the demolition of buildings and environmental remediation. The Township Engineer, Construction Official, and Health Officer will also be involved with the oversight including fielding the public’s questions and concerns.
Q: How will school officials be kept informed and engaged as the project moves ahead? A: The Township has met with school officials
and intends to continue regular meetings and communication to answer
questions and receive feedback and suggestions about remediation, demolition
and redevelopment of the site. School officials will be involved in
pre-construction meetings and will be invited to meet with the contractors
and oversight professionals on-site for periodic updates.
Montgomery Township Municipal Offices
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