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Empowering's Safe Haven Not So Safe
Canal Street Building Shuttered For Code Violations

ELLENVILLE – As a safe haven for Ellenville residents, the Empowering Ellenville offices at 159-163 Canal Street have taken quite a hit these past two weeks. A seemingly simple water leak repair led to the discovery of major building violations that resulted in the community group being forced to close its doors.

"It has been very challenging," Empowering Ellenville co-director Sandra Oglesby said.

The Village of Ellenville Building Department closed the bottom half of the building April 2 after Empowering volunteers noticed "strange looking insulation" and the presence of mold upon attempting water leak repairs in a back office.

Ellenville code enforcement officer Brian Schug said the space rented by Empowering has been deemed unsafe and, taking the age of the building and visual inspections into consideration, feels there's a real possibility that the insulation in question contains asbestos... which would entail an expensive and possibly lengthy remediation process.

According to Schug, the Department of Labor has ordered repairs to the area to cease. Following proper protocol, the potential asbestos insulation and surrounding area has been covered and back room closed, thus containing the problem to that room and ensuring the health and safety of residents living above the office space.

"It is considered a serious violation," Schug said. "We would encourage the building owner to remedy the problem as quickly as possible to ensure the safety of everyone."

Continuing, Schug said that ultimately the compliance schedule is up to the building owner, and suggested a loss of revenue as a possible motivational factor for remediation. As of press time, the building owner, Levi Hecht of 763 Developers LLC in Roslyn Heights, NY, has not ordered a required air sample test for asbestos or applied for the necessary permits to continue work in the building — thus leaving their tenant, and its programs, in limbo.

The possibility of health issues concerned Oglesby, who said that after a legal clinic meeting in the building weeks ago, volunteers complained of scratchy throats and burning eyes — symptoms she contributed to the exposed moldy and "strange looking " insulation. While she continues to be concerned for the safety of residents living in the building, she is also concerned about the programs Empowering Ellenville offers and the displacement of the community group's clients.

Many of the programs, Oglesby said, have been able to find temporary homes. Tutoring and group therapy sessions have been held at the Ellenville Public Library or Renaissance, and legal clinic sessions have found space at Gaby's Restaurant across the street in Ellenville. Even the regular board of directors meetings has found a home, in hers. But other programs offered by the non-for-profit organization have had to be put on hold, such as drumming, basketball, and a women's group.

Michael Sussman, civil-rights attorney and a benefactor of Empowering Ellenville, said that Hecht has been unresponsive to the building's problems and Empowering Ellenville, but continued on to say that through his own observation, there seems to be some work going on in the space.

What that work is, or when the building will be re-opened, is not known.

"The rent has been paid until March," Sussman said. "We'll see about April."

Empowering Ellenville has rented the space for two years and three months, Oglesby said. In that time, they've endured problems with water leaks, broken pipes, mold and insects. Sussman noted that there are ample other spaces available for Empowering right in Ellenville.

"We'll find another place, if we need to," he added. "I don't have any particular sentimental attachments; I just want to get the programs going again."



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