Work Resumes at Former Foundry Site

The demolition of the former Foundry property started again Monday morning for the first time in more than two and half months as crews try to determine the best way to remove two piles of debris that contain asbestos material.

Cherry Hill Construction, Inc., which is the , has been ordered by the Central Connecticut Health District to remove piles in which one contains mixed-use material from the demolition and the other contains various metals. Both are believed to house some materials made of asbestos. 

On April 18, Cherry Hill Construction stopped working due to "financial considerations," according to an email from William M. Stapleton, Jr., who is Environmental Sanitarian 2 for the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

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However, it is common practice to have the piles removed from the site in a timely fashion, according to health and town officials. 

"It is not appropriate for these piles to remain there," said Central Connecticut Health District Director of Health Paul Hutcheon Tuesday morning. "They need to be removed."

Town and health officials said that workers from Cherry Hill Construction were back on site Monday morning. However, Patch visited the site twice Tuesday morning and did not see any activity. When asked about this, Hutcheon said the staff at Cherry Hill Construction was "mobilizing" the equipment needed for the task.

"This is definitely a heavy equipment operation," he said.

Central Connecticut Health District Registered Sanitarian Ed Malik was scheduled to visit the site, where iron castings were once made, and report the progress back to Hutcheon.

Hutcheon viewed the site on June 5 with inspectors from the Connecticut Department of Public Health after demolition was halted. After that visit, he determined that the piles had to be removed.

Town officials have told Patch that the council will meet next week and discuss the project in executive session. Action could be taken on the project. A town council agenda was not prepared at the time of publication.

In 2009, the town filed a lawsuit to take the Foundry by eminent domain from its owner. In September, the council came to an agreement with Riverfront Future Partners for the demolition of the old Foundry buildings, to settle legal actions and develop a mixed-use project on the 10-acre piece of property that would include retail and residential space.

The  just before the first of the year and according to an agreement with the town, the demolition had to be completed within 180 days. The town agreed to make payments of up to $425,000 toward the demolition and remediation of the Foundry site.

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