(Photo by Chris Frank)

Con Ed will brief neighbors on the recent fire and findings of the investigation into the fire tomorrow night, Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 7pm at Phoenix House.

The environmental reports by ConEd’s Environmental Health and Safety ChemLab showed elevated PCB contamination in the surrounding area.

All are welcome. Thank you to ConEd and the Vinegar Hill Neighborhood Association for setting up this meeting. Please RSVP to vinegarhillbklyn@gmail.com.

When: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Time: 7:00 p.m. sharp
Location: Phoenix House, 50 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(between Water & Plymouth Streets)

Related:
{ConEd Substation Explosion Collateral Damage, 14May2012}
{Fire at ConEd Plant in Vinegar Hill Yesterday (Again), 30Apr2012}
{ConEd Transformer Explosion in Dumbo, 16Sept2011}

The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission has a few calendar items related to buildings in Dumbo:

• 81 Front Street (June 5, 2012): hearing is for an application to replace storefront infill and install signage.
• 185 Plymouth Street (May 22, 2012): application is to construct additions, modify window and ground floor openings, alter sidewalk, install storefront infill, a canopy, and signage.

Brownstoner posted about 185 Plymouth Street last week. The developers of 192 Water Street will be renovating 185 Plymouth into “a similar treatment of the existing warehouse building”. Brownstoner writes:

“Some differences at 185 are that most units will have outdoor space, and there’s an interior courtyard that all units will have views to. 185 also has 13-14 foot ceiling heights which are a couple of feet taller than 192 Water. Half of the units also have water views.” Earlier this week the CB2 Landuse Committee approved facade changes, including a rooftop addition for two penthouse units. Here are a few more cool facts from the architect: since there’s no real sidewalk on Plymouth (it’s mostly cobblestone), they plan to continue the cobblestone into the lobby to create the feeling of a continuing street. And the building, previously a brillo pad factory, had a bridge opening across to 205 Water Street, also part of the factory.”

There have been several tenant rumors about 81 Front Street, but nothing official has been released yet. Anyone know?

Apparently during the 89 John Street Con Ed substation explosion and subsequent fire on April 29, collateral damage was done to surrounding cars parked on Plymouth Street. In addition, a few residents are concerned about the hazardous threshold level of PCB contamination as a result of the explosion and fire. The owner of the car damaged during the explosion (in the upper right corner of the photo above) sent us the following note:

We’re writing to warn you of potentially hazardous levels of PCB’s released during the April 29th fire at ConEd’s Farragut Substation in DUMBO/Vinegar Hill, which you reported on in an April 30th post.

Our car was parked directly opposite the Farragut Substation gate on Plymouth Street at the time of the fire. Its rear window was destroyed and the interior contaminated with transformer components, debris and soot as a result of the explosion and subsequent fire at the facility. Knowing that ConEd hazmat crews had tested the area for PCB’s in the wake of the fire (including our car), we requested a copy of the environmental testing report. After first ignoring repeated requests, ConEd finally released the report to us yesterday afternoon, Friday May 9.

The day after the fire, we were told by Sean Monaghan of the ConEd environmental department that our car was clean and that we could pick it up. When we asked what “clean” meant, he told us that it tested below 1 ppm (parts per million), which he said was ConEd’s threshold for hazardous PCB contamination. Not wishing to expose our 20-month-old son to ConEd’s ‘acceptable level’ of contamination without first seeing the test results, we did not pick up the car. As it turns out, according to the report, the interior of the car was never tested.

What is likely of primary concern to you and your neighbors is the data on page 5 of the attached report, which indicates that curbside water outside the gate tested at 3 ppm, triple ConEd’s stated hazardous threshold level of PCB contamination. We understand that this is the second fire at this facility in the last six months. Given the reckless disregard they’ve exhibited toward our family’s safety and the contempt with which they’ve treated us in their fire’s aftermath, we have little doubt this level of concern extends to the community at large. We thought you should know.

We’re not environmental experts, so we don’t want to comment on what this means. If anyone can speak to it, please chime in. The EPA’s “Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Site Revitalization Guidance Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)” document addresses clean up and disposal requirements for PCBs pcb-guid3-06.pdf (PDF).

wikipedia entry on PCB

A fire at the 89 John Street Con Ed substation in Vinegar Hill Brooklyn broke out yesterday (on Plymouth Street between Gold and Bridge Streets) at approximately 5:15pm. News first broke on Twitter before we called 911 to report the incident. Neighbors heard an explosion, followed by a fire and thick black smoke. FDNY controlled the fire by 6:30p and no injuries were reported.

This is the second such fire at the ConEd plant in the past year.

Watch the video of the fire:

By the way, anyone have any information on future plans for the John Street ConEd substation?

Photos and videos by Chris Frank

The sidewalk on Plymouth Street betwen Jay and Bridge Street is being finished in front of the Toll Brothers building at 205 Water Street. The Dumbo BID and Dept of Transportation are working together to ensure the work complies with the Landmark requirements.

Just after 9pm, lights along Plymouth Street went out temporarily. Reader Chris Frank send us this note:
“A transformer exploded at 913PM tonight in the John Street ConEd substation in Dumbo. The sprinkler system worked flawlessly & the fire was out within 10 minutes. Fire dept rolled in with 4 pumpers and a hook & ladder, but didn’t even have to bust in to extinguish and they’ve moved on 30 minutes later. Good job 911, ConEd & the NYFD”

The following is this week’s anticipated construction work schedule (7am – 3:30pm work hours), field conditions permitting for this week. Please note that parking may be restricted in work areas.

• 8/5/11 through 8/12/11 – Washington Street between York/Water Street – Prepare roadway for the reinstalling the Belgian Blocks
• 8/5/11 through 8/12/11 – Washington Street between Water/Plymouth Street – Continue excavation of roadway for installation of concrete base
• 8/5/11 through 8/12/11 – Water Street between Washington/Adams Street – Start the reinstallation of the Belgian Blocks and install Belgian Blocks bicycle lane
• 8/5/11 through 8/12/11 – Water Street and Main Street intersection – Complete installation of Belgian Blocks

For more information, please call Paul Kidder, the Community Construction Liaison at 718-643-2850 or email: waterstreetccl@gmail.com

For prior construction posts, see dumbonyc.com/tag/construction.

Dumbo based indie pop band, “The Well-Informed” just published a new music video, We’re Only Dreaming. The video features 215 Plymouth Street building (in and out).

Previously:
{Brooklyn Sundry: Episode at Baco Café, 20Apr2011}

Evan Duby and Paul Loren of the Dumbo based indie pop band, “The Well-Informed” drop some Dumbo history while chatting in Baco Cafe. Their original web series features “the two [who] travel the borough of Brooklyn accompanied by great bites and fun tidbits.” The mushroom ravioli with spinach and roasted peppers sauce looks tasty (menu).

The band records out of their studio at Five & Dime Recording Society at 215 Plymouth Street. Watch their video and download the track featured on this episode, “New York (We Love Her)“.

Baco Café (bacocafe.com)
71 Jay Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201
tel: 718-694-BACO

Five & Dime Recording Society
215 Plymouth Street, Brooklyn NY 11201

Permit # FF 27: On Wednesday – Friday, April 6-8, 2011 (7pm – 9am)
The Projectionist, a feature film is being filmed in Dumbo on Wednesday – Friday (4/6, 4/7, 4/8) between 7pm – 9am, near the corner of Plymouth Street and Anchorage Place.

In addition to the filming that occurred on Monday and Tuesday, Dumbo had a full week of filming.

If you have further questions you can contact their Locations Department at 646-753-2745.

All filming posts are tagged here: DumboNYC.com/tag/filming