(WNY News Now) – The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the City of Jamestown Department of Development announced that the EPA will demolish and remove asbestos-laden debris at 1061 Allen Street in Jamestown.
Jamestown – The former Crawford Furniture manufacturing facility was reduced to rubble following a massive fire on November 16, 2022 that required the emergency and disaster response of the
Jamestown Fire Department along with fourteen additional fire departments from throughout the area, the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, Jamestown Police Department, Jamestown Department of Development, Chautauqua County EMS, Chautauqua County HazMat Team, National Fuel, Alstar Ambulance, the Salvation
Army, NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
“For over a year, the EPA has been working closely with the City of Jamestown to address the serious environmental and public health risks at 1061 Allen Street,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. EPA will continue to take action to safely demolish and remove the asbestos-laden debris that remains on site. Once the site is cleaned up and safe, EPA will support efforts by Jamestown to redevelop the site for benefit of the community.”
Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said in a statement, “I would like to personally thank Senator Schumer, who pushed the EPA to secure this critical funding to clean up 1061 Allen St. While we work to hold those who let this site deteriorate accountable, the EPA has stepped up and will save Jamestown taxpayers millions of dollars. We thank them for their continued partnership and hope to work with them quickly to clean up the site.”
Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk released the following statement, “The devastating fire that occurred at 1061 Allen Street was predictable and preventable. The estimated $200K abatement and partial demolition costs that should have been incurred by the property owner, has now surpassed the $5M mark to clean up the site. The Department of Development is committed to holding the building owners accountable for their willful neglect and has been working in collaboration with the EPA since June of 2021 to address the long outstanding hazardous conditions that predated the fire that destroyed the building complex, and we are confident that those efforts prevented what could have been an even more catastrophic event.
My team and I appreciate the EPA’s partnership and are grateful for their assistance to clean up the remaining hazardous debris. In addition to the EPA’s removal action, the City is receiving technical assistance through the Superfund Redevelopment Program to evaluate the future redevelopment potential of this site. While we work to bring justice to the hard working taxpayers, residents, businesses and their employees who have been
directly and indirectly affected by the predatory and malicious actions of the principals of Allen Street Development, LLC, we will also continue to look to a more positive future for this site. One that restores it back to the tax rolls, builds upon the City’s strong manufacturing ecosystem, and creates new business and job opportunities for our community.”
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