Early Stages Of Demolition Underway At Vacant SI Building Where Teen Died
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The early stages of demolition are now underway at the former Staten Island Hospital site, five days after a teen was killed in the abandoned building.
Crews arrived just after sunrise Wednesday to begin the preliminary work for the demolition set for this week after a permit was finally approved Tuesday.
Workers were seen driving in heavy equipment and pouring over building plans. They moved a memorial for 16-year-old Marcos Castillo, which had been growing, to the corner, CBS2's Alice Gainer reported.
"They should just knock it (the building) down immediately," a friend of Castillo told WCBS 880's Peter Haskell. "I really don't want any more people dying anymore.
"I really miss him," she added. "He was a really good friend."
The teen died last Friday after tumbling seven stories down an elevator shaft inside the abandoned building in Tompkinsville. Castillo's father, Jorge Rivera, demanded to know what happened.
"I want the truth," he said. "Why they wait till something happen to take it out? They should have take it out before."
CBS2 put that question to Staten Island Borough President James Oddo, who said the building is privately owned.
"We pushed to have this eyesore become something that's a positive for the community, but there was no security," he said. "I can tell you that this was a building that had a demolition order issued by the city months ago that was still open, and this young man died."
The building has been abandoned for decades after the hospital took its operations elsewhere in 1979. After a failed redevelopment, it just sat vacant.
Oddo said ownership of the dilapidated structure was in legal limbo, stalling any action. The Buildings Department said the abandoned hospital site is owned by Shore Holdings UK, which lists its business address as a Staten Island law firm.
A sign on the fence Tuesday indicated the owner is now New York City Housing Preservation and Development. The sign said the demolition should be complete by December.
Many along Castleton Avenue said it is long overdue.
"I think it's a disgrace they had to wait for a kid to die in order for them to do something here," Mike Benanti, who lives across the street from the old Staten Island Hospital, told CBS2's Janelle Burrell.
Neighbors said Castillo was hardly the first kid to venture inside the abandoned building.
"After all the complaints we made and the fires, and (it's) finally coming down. Someone had to die," said Josephine Lyons. "Breaks my heart every time I see it."
"I called up plenty of times and reported it," Benanti said. "They used to go in there and threw rocks off the roof at people."
"I always see children up in the building waving to me," neighbor Donna Williams said. "It's a danger zone."
But some were hoping to see the building repurposed, an option that had previously been discussed.
"I think they should make it an apartment building or a school," one resident said.
Meanwhile, Castillo's father said he has yet to hear from anyone who was there the day his son died. The tragedy was not reported to police until another parent learned about it at least an hour later.
"I don't even know who they are," Rivera said.
Castillo's wake is set for Wednesday evening. His funeral will be held Thursday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. He will be buried at Silver Mount Cemetery.
