County committee hears deconstruction plan, salvage and reuse process for downtown buildings

Tompkins County staff and the design team described a phased deconstruction and material‑reuse plan for downtown buildings during the Sept. 2 Downtown Facility Special Committee meeting, saying abatement and salvage work will begin immediately and be tracked for reuse rather than landfill disposal.

Quay Thompson of Holt Architects said testing is complete and abatement work is imminent: "As of Sept. 1, we're starting to move loose materials out...in the end of the first week, maybe getting into the September, we'll start abatement of the KeyBank Building." The team said deconstruction will proceed in phases: first the KeyBank Building, then the Professional Building, and finally Annex C when it becomes available.

Nut graf: The project team is aiming to preserve and repurpose building materials where possible while coordinating contractor staging, public notifications, and environmental abatement; a consultant will inventory and track salvage for reuse to reduce landfill disposal.

Finger Lakes Reuse has been engaged to create an inventory and to act as a consultant to the contractor for tracking removed materials, the architects said. "Finger Lakes Reuse will be tracking all of the materials that are sent to land," Thompson said; the firm is preparing a tracking form based on a lead‑rating system and will report on destinations for salvage and reuse.

Contractor responsibility and public impacts: Architects told the committee the contractor will be responsible for construction staging and any sidewalk closures. If sidewalks must be closed, contractors must obtain city permits and reroute pedestrians; designers said they will notify the public through county channels and coordinate with communications staff (Monique) for outreach. Thompson said the design intent is to protect sidewalks when feasible but acknowledged short closures may be necessary because the buildings sit close to the sidewalk.

Salvage process and timeline: After abatement and removal of gypsum board, the team will perform a final survey to identify deeper structural elements suitable for repurposing. The team said an initial salvage list of visually identifiable items already exists and that they are trying to rehome loose items rather than send them to landfill. The county plans to phase removal of loose items immediately and abatement soon thereafter; contractors will then deconstruct the structures while the reuse consultant pursues markets for salvaged items.

Operations and oversight: Committee members asked who will track salvaged materials; the architects said Finger Lakes Reuse will develop a tracking form. The county will review that reporting format and ensure reporting aligns with the lead‑rating tracking system the team adopted. Committee members requested early notification if sidewalks will be offline so the public can be informed.

Ending: No formal votes were recorded on deconstruction items at the meeting; the team will continue to coordinate abatement schedules, salvage inventories and contractor staging plans and will return with updates as deconstruction advances.