New Rochelle Police Officers Clearing Out “Training House” Materials from Mariano Riviera’s North Avenue Church

Written By: Robert Cox

NRPD MarianoChurchOfficers from the day tour of the Critical Incident Unit of the New Rochelle Police Department are expected to spend the next days clearing out materials from a “training house” which was previously built inside the Church.

After the deal was announced with Mariano Rivera, the Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher, DPW workers began clearing out the building. The work was halted over concerns of asbestos in the building. City Manager Chuck Strome confirmed today to Talk of the Sound that there was asbestos in the church and that it was removed. Asked why the City was doing the work instead of the new tenants. Strome said “We agreed to clear all debris from building.”

20 thoughts on “New Rochelle Police Officers Clearing Out “Training House” Materials from Mariano Riviera’s North Avenue Church”

  1. holy church
    Mr.Cox why dont you shed some light on this.we know you must have questioned this obviously incompatent police administration.what was there answer to this when you asked them what cops were doing cleaning out a church for a millionaire baseball player and is this even justified.

    1. waiting for a further reply
      At the suggestion of Martin Sanchez in his comment, I asked the City for a copy of the certificate that the asbestos had been removed and that the site was free of asbestos and safe. When I get a reply I will update this article.

  2. off the topic
    It seems these posts (although most good points) have gone off the topic originally talked about.
    Why, if the city had DPW workers clearing the church out prior to the asbestos discovery now have police officers doing? It is well known that the police and fire depts are down a significant amount of personnel so why are they clearing out a church?
    If you look at the picture above they are placing the debris into a sanitation truck. So obviously whatever training house material is left is crap anyway. Do you really need to take a group officers away from protecting the public to remove material that any dpw worker could do. Im not putting down DPW, but each department has its roll and I believe protecting the public comes above removing material. It seems to me that this is a great misuse of manpower and a disgrace. Who actually authorizes decisions like this? It should be looked into and this person’s decision making abilities questioned. Seriously give me a break.

  3. It’s a shame
    It’s a shame the city didn’t make a parking lot there. The stone from the church would of paid for most of the removal and parking fee’s would of covered the rest and at some point they would be making money on that lot instead of losing it!

    Parking is needed badly there with all the people paying tickets.

    1. If city hall has parking issues too many people r working there!
      Your joking right? It would’ve cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to tear down that historic church and make it a parking lot. As it stands now, its going to cost $3 million in renovation money to end up with a building worth $1.5 million. The numbers just don’t make sense and that’s why I’m extremely happy Marino is putting up some of his millions.

      If city hall has a parking issue, there’s too many people working there.

      1. What happens down the line
        Your joking right? Spending money for what could be recovered later is better then making one dollar and still having a parking problem. How dose that not make sense? What happens down the line, if north ave gets going ten or twenty years from now “oh crap we should have made more parking while we could have” Now we have to buy just the land for 400,000 and then build one.

        Good opportunities and good Foresight will make you money in the long run.
        It’s a shame neither was applied to the church deal for one stinking buck!

      2. People can read the signs they just refuse to feed the meters!
        I’m not kidding & I think the municipal workforce neeeds to be reduced by about 10%. Doesn’t anyone remember we’re in a finacial cruch? How’s that $4.5 million from the Avalon sale last going to be made up? I certainly hope NOT with any more or new taxes. Something has to change and since salaries probably make up 70-80% of the budget that would be the 1st place to start.

        If you want more parking at city hall, deck the current lot it couldn’t cost all that much, but please set aside a little bit of money for each of the next couple of years so it can be done without bonding, we don’t need any more debt!

        Maybe the city should start charging employees to park in the lot? My wife has to pay to park in White Plains, maybe New Rochelle shouldn’t be any different? That could be the money we set aside for the next 10 years waiting for the North Ave retail to take off.

        Most people can read the signs in the city hall lot, they just refuse to put quarters into those f@c&ing meters for Guest Parking. I know I do. BTW, a big thanks Tim Idoni for the meters, how much do they bring in anyway? I posted more on free parking in the thread on downtown retail.

      3. Reduce the workforce by 10%
        Reduce the workforce by 10% not a good idea. The city is short handed already. Maybe the top bosses at city hall should not take such big raises. The DPW workers are short handed as it is and if you lay any of them off it will just get worse. The cops are running at an all time low but they do such a good job no one realizes how short they are. The FD is short handed also but as like the cops they do not let you see it

      4. If not reductions how would you balance the budget w/the tax cap
        I think there are too many chiefs and not enough indians if that’s of any consolation to you.

        If not employee reductions then how would you balance the budget and stay within the the tax cap? I’m not so sure that can be done without layoffs.

        As far as DPW goes, why not switch to single man garbage trucks like a lot of private haulers use? Hell maybe all garbage collection should be outsourced/privatized since we have to pay our guys union wages along with pensions, health care & other perks that are eating the budget up. I doubt the private haulers are getting such a good deal.

        Just a suggestion, an idea. What are yours? I really rather not have my taxes go up 10% either, I get no benefit from that.

      5. The reason City hall has
        The reason City hall has parking issues is NOT because too many people work there. The parking lot does have employees and also has the people going to the court and city hall. The problem is that people can not read the signs where it says permit needed to park here

  4. Most dilapidated buildings are sold/leased “as is”
    Most dilapidated buildings are sold/leased “as is”

  5. Thank You Mr. Cox
    Now the readers of this incompetent site are starting to comment when they don’t have all the facts. Kind of like when you post a blog. You should change the name of this site from “Talk of the Sound” to “Rumors of the Sound”. You really need to do more investigative reporting before posting an article.

    1. If you have facts to share why don’t you?
      If you have facts to share why don’t you? Otherwise, you’re just a troll like the others that offer nothing of substance.

      A member for 5 days & that’s all you’ve got? Please there’s a guy or gal with the username Reality that posts on Patch. Most of the posts are fantasy and not based on reality, but I think you might like his or her work.

    2. For your information, Bob Cox
      For your information, Bob Cox tries very hard to be as factual as possible. If indeed you have some information that will help him in that quest, let’s have it. Furthermore, Mr. Cox is well educated and a very experienced journalist. Perhaps if the City wasn’t so eager to hide everything we wouldn’t need Mr. Cox. But the City, true to form, wants to make sure ONLY their side of the story hits the media. This way they can sugarcoat it.

      Funny, the City has been contradicted for its reporting of issues more than Mr. Cox has. Why can Chuck Strome choose words poorly when describing the Fevang case but Mr. Cox isn’t allowed an occassional slip up. Put something forth that you can back up with facts.

  6. Most dilapidated buildings are sold/leased “as is”
    The real question is why is the City of New Rochelle doing any work there, especially since the city gave it away. Unless the owner (in this case the City of New Rochelle) wants in make a significant investment, most dilapidated buildings are sold/leased “as is” meaning whoever is taking over the property has to do all the work and deal with all the problems.

    I can’t imagine New Rochelle NOT having that language in the contract/lease, but then again ………….with all the other blundering the city consistently does I can imagine this happening.

  7. Call OSHA
    If these are police officers doing cleaning, it seems that it is work outside the scope of their job description. As a labor relations professional, I smell a grievance with OSHA, DEP and NYPESH.
    Before beginning the removal process you will need to obtain important asbestos removal equipment such as breathing respirators for all workers, coveralls, rubber boots and gloves, and goggles. The breathing respirators will each have two HEPA filters, color coded purple. It is important that the respirator fit properly to prevent asbestos fibers from entering. If any of the workers have facial hair it can interfere with the proper fit of the respirator. People with facial hair will need to shave or they should not help with the work. Breathing respirators are certainly the most important pieces of asbestos removal equipment, but there is more asbestos removal equipment that is vital to own or rent.
    Each time a worker enters the enclosed work area they will need to wear disposable coveralls. This means that each worker must have a few pairs because every time they exit the work area their coveralls must be hosed down and placed into an asbestos disposal bag. Without this safety measure, some asbestos fibers could become airborne outside the work area.

    Eye protection is another important piece of asbestos removal equipment and can easily cause visibility problems in the work area due to humid conditions. For this reason it is important to purchase non-fogging goggles. Rubber boots can be disposable, but do not have to be. They can be hosed and wiped off each time a worker exits the containment area. Several pairs of disposable gloves should be available for each worker. This will allow used gloves to be disposed of each time a worker exits the containment area.

    I’ve managed safety officers who after seeing these photos would have a fit and the first order of business here would be to call OSHA. Lives are at stakes. Asbestos abatement is not a casual event as it is being portrayed here. If the DPW determined there was asbestos here, did they clean it and certified it as cleaned? Let us see the written determination.

  8. Did DPW Work Ever Resume?
    Did DPW ever go back to finish what they were cleaning out after asbestos was discovered? The City has halted access to the Armory based on concerns of lead and asbestos yet, these two buildings are of the same vintage aren’t they? I hope the asbestos was certified as abated, because the dust masks the men are weaering in the photo offers no protection against asbestos, nor are they properly suited up.

    Another poorly executed business plan by the city. We all but donate a prime piece of property to a multi-million dollar organization and taxpayers get the luxury of footing the bill to clean the place . What’s next, board of ed painters sprucing the place up? Such a deal.

  9. protect and clean.instead of serve
    this is a complete joke.the police department is short approximatly 25 police officers and there is a constant shortage of manpower. so lets take cops off the street and have them clean an old church for a millionaire baseball player, when the police themselves have no contract for two years. they sold him the building for a dollar and they have the police,thats right mr.and mrs. taxpayer the police clean it out.this is absurd. And they take police officers who are the elite of the department as the critical incident unit is described to be by commissioner carroll, to do this. this is why new rochelle has been run to the ground by an incompetant adminitration. complete disgrace and abuse of power by the city manager.

    1. janitor police?
      So if the DPW began to clean out the church until it was found to have asbestos why are the police cleaning it now? It seems to me that the DPW should have continued cleaning it out. Why would the police department send cops there to empty the building?. I pay my taxes so that the police can protect me and my family, not to clean a church. If it is true that the city is short about 25 cops how did they spare these officers? Were they being paid overtime. This is a ridiculous use of the police. Who the hell makes the decisions around there. I think someone should look into this alittle further. Unreal.

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