EDITORIAL: Old jail brings new set of problems

A state review concluded that demolition of the former Greene County Jail on Bridge Street in Catskill will have no adverse impacts on the environment, but the job of the Greene County Legislature is far from over.

Before a single brick is removed, the Legislature has to deal first with the lead and asbestos in the jail building and the historic impact the demolition will have on the vicinity of the project.

Lawmakers, in the picture we see, might have acted prematurely when they issued a negative declaration based on the state environmental review, which indicated that the demolition is expected to have moderate to large historical impacts apart from the presence of lead and asbestos.

The Legislature has some big decisions to make in the coming days and weeks. How will the county deal with the lead and asbestos inside the old jail? Can any historic materials such as the Ohio sandstone that makes up the facade of the jail be salvaged?

The jail building and the former sheriff’s office are part of the East Side Historic District. How important is this fact? The State Historic Preservation Office asked the county to come up with “prudent and feasible” alternatives to demolition.

Unfortunately, rehabilitation of the buildings is not economically feasible given the substantial cost of remediation, concluded Barton & Loguidice, the engineering firm assigned to make cost studies.

To renovate the sheriff’s office and demolish the main jail complex and the newest section of the jail known as D-Block, the cost would be $4.8 million. The renovations include bringing the office up to current American Disabilities Act and fire code standards.

To renovate all three spaces — sheriff’s office, main jail complex and D-Block — and repurpose them as general office space, it would cost $10.7 million.

Finally, Barton & Loguidice estimated that to demolish all three buildings and develop a new 5,000-square-foot office building would cost between $1.13 million and $1.2 million.

We don’t support the Legislature spending additional millions of dollars on fruitless jail-related projects. Enough has been spent, or, in the view of many, wasted on the new jail. But asbestos and lead have to be removed from the old jail and it must be done safely. It is incumbent on the Legislature to achieve this without harm to workers or the general public in the vicinity of the building. The inherent risks call on the Legislature to be mindful of this project’s serious health implications.