Tearing down a building is not as easy as just hiring someone with a bulldozer and a wrecking ball. There have been plans to demolish the old New Paltz town hall for months, but all the preparations have been on paper: negotiating contracts, writing plans, receiving authorization that it’s all being done properly. The process was scheduled to start this week, but there will be little evidence of what’s going on to passersby until sometime in January.
According to town council member Marty Irwin, the first step of the process will be to remove asbestos from the building, which per contract could take up to 30 days to complete. That was due to begin Monday, and Veterans Drive was to be closed the day prior. Anyone going to the community center will have to instead turn onto Bonticou View Drive, make a right onto Cooper Street, and then another right onto Taylor Street to get there. Signs posted along the detour should keep drivers on track.
Once the asbestos abatement is completed and verified through testing, the actual demolition will commence. Irwin said that the contract for that part of the work also allows for up to 30 days to complete, with the result being an empty lot, ready for whatever town council members decide to do with it.
Join the family! 
