Posted at: 09/10/2009 4:27 PM | WHEC.com
Updated at: 09/10/2009 8:51 PM
By: Ray Levato

Midtown Plaza asbestos tour

Another milestone for Midtown Plaza. Asbestos abatement is about to begin and construction crews say they are sensitive to people's memories of Midtown.

Construction Manager Mark Smith said, "The people involved are very, very passionate about what's theirs, about what the people of Rochester have known this facility to be."

It's the first step in tearing down the five buildings that make up Midtown Plaza to get the eight-acre site ready for new development and perhaps a new headquarters for PAETEC Corporation. There could be new streets and green spaces too.

The City gave News 10NBC cameras a tour Thursday of Midtown Plaza and the office tower to show how crews will remove dangerous asbestos over the next 14 months.

They have to prep the areas to get them ready before containment barriers can be set up. And they estimate there will be 15,000 tons of material to be removed to designated landfills. That includes asbestos and other debris.

Asbestos, used as a fire retardant when Midtown was built, is dangerous when the asbestos fibers become friable, or broken up, and get into the air. Workers will use respirators and protective suits to enter the taped off containment areas to remove the asbestos. And when they're done, each floor will be absolutely clean and safe. Air monitoring will take place several times a day, inside and outside the removal areas. And the city assures the public that walking outside Midtown while the work progresses is safe.

The company overseeing the work did the same thing with the Memorial Auditorium demolition in Buffalo and they're sensitive to memories of Midtown, just like the Aud.
Smith said, "And we had the same passion there. People came up to us and told us the different stories, different experiences at the Auditorium whether it was a hockey game, the circus, graduation. And I'm sure that there's the same feelings here from the people of Rochester."

Right now the city is looking over three proposals from developers for re-using Midtown Tower for housing.

Can the Midtown Plaza atrium be saved? And the monorail? Mayor Bob Duffy said he's open to ideas.

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