Officials: Kings Park demolition safe

State parks officials and a consultant sought to allay fears Thursday that the demolition of 15 buildings at the old Kings Park psychiatric hospital will contaminate the community with dangerous dust.

During a meeting of local officials and about 40 residents at Nissequogue River State Park, officials outlined the challenges of removing the buildings, many of which are at least 80 years old and contain asbestos, lead and other hazardous materials. The buildings have been vacant since Kings Park closed in 1996.

The structures will be taken apart incrementally -- not blown up with explosives or toppled by wrecking ball -- by crews using safeguards such as electronic sensors to monitor air quality, said Richard Walka, a consultant for the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

But some residents wondered how nearby neighborhoods would be protected from dust or informed when there may be a problem.

Ron Foley, regional director for the parks office, said techniques for preventing pollution from escaping demolition sites "has become a science," and neighbors will be safe.

Demolition, expected to cost up to $15 million, is to begin in May and should be completed by November 2013, Walka said. Nissequogue River State Park covers about a third of the 500-acre site; the rest is off-limits to the public.

Because of heavy equipment used to raze the structures, Kings Park Boulevard may be closed to traffic during the demolition, officials said.

Workers also plan to protect wildlife on the grounds and avoid discharges, such as stormwater runoff, into the park's wetlands, Foley and Walka said. Crews will attempt to capture rodents before they escape as the buildings come down, officials said.

After the meeting, community leaders expressed relief that demolition, already delayed for more than a year, could begin next spring. But they said state parks officials need to create a master plan for the property, "so you know what buildings you're going to want to save before you tear them down," said Michael Rosato, chairman of the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation, which raises funds for park improvements.

State Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport), who secured funding for the demolition, said he is working with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's administration on the park's future.

"This property is so unique," he said. "I do believe the administration is working with us to move things forward."

The structures to be razed include a smokestack and other buildings near an abandoned power plant.

State lawmakers and community leaders envision rehabilitating and finding new uses for some of the park's other dormant buildings.