716_6th_Ave.JPG
A message on the Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights email list last night is about the sort of discovery you probably don’t want to make at a development site:

firemen110107.jpg

There were at least 6 trucks outside of 716 6th Ave (at 23rd St.) and a very bad smell of gasoline. Workers and equipment was still on the street (they have been digging for the water/utilities) so I thought there may have been a spill from the digger. Nope. Gasoline found in the ground! Did we happen to mention this new condo dev is built over an old gas station? Remediation not done? Or did they hit a pocket of earth with a whole lot of gasoline left over? You decide.

FDNY members who were at the scene said the site wasn’t in danger of exploding and that the DEP would be testing air quality shortly. You can check out a short video from the scene here. When we swung by the site this morning, construction workers told us that rumors about gas being found were “bullshit,” though they couldn’t come up with a better explanation of why the FDNY had paid a visit last night.
DOB Flexes Its Muscles at 716-718 6th Avenue [Brownstoner] GMAP


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

  1. UPDATE:
    As per CB7, DEP did test last night and found hazardous waste. I ‘m assuming of the gasoline kind.

    The complaint and site has been turned over to New York State’s Dept. of Environmental Protection.

    Can anyone say brown-field?

    Smelly condos for new buyers!

    -ccgh

  2. Just had to see this, or rather smell this for myself after work. Just back home from a drive by, and as of 5 mins ago, it still stunk of gasoline…AND they are working after hours with some sort of earth movers. Guess I should call 311.

  3. Um, if you had lit a match within 2 blocks we would have had quite a light show.

    Whether it’s gasoline or bullshit (as the workers contend today) it still stunk to high hell last night, and don’t just take it from us, call FDNY.

    -ccgh