Incinerator to be demolished

During the week, Glen Cove’s Morris Avenue is a hub of activity. Trucks barrel down the road all day long, passing the various businesses that have been there for years. They include a recycling company that accepts asphalt, brick and concrete, near a cabinetry store. There’s a auto body shop, a plumbing supply store and a Nassau County Department of Public Works office.

At the end of the road is Winter Brothers Waste System and the Glen Cove Transfer Station, which Mayor Reggie Spinello hopes to close soon. But first there is the matter of the city’s now-closed incinerator, which is also on the busy avenue.

The city operated the incinerator from 1979 through the 1980s, when there was much less public concern about the damaging environmental effects of burning waste and sewage. Spinello says that the 300-foot-long, 250-foot-wide, 90-foot-tall building will be demolished by the second week in August.

The city received three bids for the project — $4.5 million from Breeze National Inc., $3.9 million from the Gramercy Group, and $2.1 million from Total Wrecking and Environmental, which was awarded the contract.

Unitech Services Group Inc. is currently completing an abatement on the roof, which was found to contain asbestos, that must be removed before demolition can begin. “Once we get the abatement complete, which would be sometime toward the end of next week,” said Jim Byrne, director of the county DPW, “they will start taking down the superstructure, or the main part of the building.”

The roof abatement will cost the city about $828,800.

The demolition is part of the waterfront improvements the city is undertaking on the south side of the creek. “The reason why it probably wasn’t taken down years ago is because of the expense,” Byrne said.

There are three ball fields across the street from all the industry on Morris Avenue. During baseball, softball and soccer season, many children play there. When the incinerator is taken down, the nearby composting area will also be eliminated, perhaps making room for additional play areas.

“I’d like to see a multiuse turf field the size of a football field be built there,” said Dan Cox, chairman of the city’s recreation commission. “We aren’t sure what to do with the area once the incinerator comes down. Maybe we could build an indoor facility there, or maybe a parking field.”

Byrne said he believed that area would most likely become a parking lot. After all there are three ball fields in the area right now and parking is always a problem.

Some believe that the best scenario would be for the industrial facilities on Morris Avenue to relocate. “I would like to see the entire industrial area turned into recreational space and reclaim the creek,” Cox said, acknowledging that the facilities have been responsible members of the community, not operating when children are playing baseball or soccer.

Morris Avenue runs parallel to the creek. Garvies Point is being developed on the other side of the creek. If nothing changes, the residents of the planned high-rise apartments there may have as part of their view the industrial activity on Morris Avenue.