Bethlehem Steel Demolition Halted Due to Illegally Issued Demo Permit

Awesome! Great job!

What will become of the lawsuit? People going to get fined for attempting this kind of $hit or what?

Excellent

Why don't the people who oppose the tear down buy the building and restore it?

So, if it does get saved in the end, then what? Sit empty and exposed for another 30 years? Can't force the current owners to sell it to all the nonexistant buyers.

I am elated and ecstaticly applaud these people who helped save this building.

I have no doubt that something wonderful will become of it in the future.

Eventually this building will fall down on its own.

This building will not fall down for a lack of buyers.

The hand has been forced and I dont think its going to continue fighting now that the visibility has been raised to a public issue. Most buildings are lost through secret last minute demolitions that the public is unaware. Once the public is aware the story and the pursuit of demolition usually change direction.

Also most buildings arent demolished because of lack of buyers but because the owner wont sell. They want the land more than the building.

The Bethlehem Steel Building will either be sold and restored if Gateway doesnt want the land or Gateway will incorporate it into their development plans.

big enthusiastic pat on the back to everyone who had a part in this!

Here's their loophole. From the SEQR Handbook, exempt actions include:

617.5(c)(33)
"emergency actions that are immediately necessary on a
limited and temporary basis for the protection or preservation of life, health, property or natural resources, provided that such actions are directly related to the emergency and are performed to cause the least change or disturbance, or acticable under the circumstances, to the environment."

According to the SEQR handbook, this includes:

"Agency responses to man-made disasters such as building fires, demolition of dangerously deteriorated buildings, chemical spills, transportation accidents or acts of terrorism."

Whether the building is sound or not is something that will probably be hotly debated. If the city successfully makes the case it's considered "dangerously deteriorated", it's a Type II action, and thus no review/EAF is required.

The city could also it's a Type II action because demo doesn't significantly impact the environment on the site, and thus, it doesn't require an EAF. Again, that can be argued (fugitive dust, off-site disposal of debris, etc), but the review process tends to be site specific.

Regardless of the determination of the class of action, Type I, II or Unlisted,this is only a temporary injunction. If the City is forced to proceed under SEQR, there will be a finding of no significant impact and it'll be back to where it was yesterday. Even it deemed a Type I, they do not automatically require an EIS. Given thousands of large scale demos like this take place every year, the case law suggests and would back up ta determination of no significance. The key isue here is whether the "action" i this case the demoi, will have permanent environmental impacs requiring mitigation, which it won't. If any impacts, they'll be short-term during th demo only and require standard procedures like asbestos abatement, dust control, and sediment control.

SEQR's intent is to minimize the impacts of an action, not deny the action. Once you realize that and accept it, you'll realize this is only a temporary stay of execution.

All the legal wrangling, arguments and bohemian dreams can't stop a private property owner for doing as he/she sees fit for his property.

this is a unique bldg that many probably could care less about..as you can read above..how many times have we dealt with this attitude and have seen irreplaceable structures torn down and later we lament..how often private ownership trumps the historical legacy and common good in this country is sometimes truly pathetic..there are so many fantastic options and sadly this owner picked the most selfish and stupid..i only hope he is inside when the wrecking ball is lowered...

im trying to think like the owner..what a great spot to store winter salt for the city of lackawanna..and they would pay me for it..beautiful capitalism...cheers...

So if I may echo the sentiments of aristocrat after you nut bags jolly stomped him. The preservation community always gets pissy when after saving a building someone asks now what. If the perception is that you guys save a building and high five each other and walk away then that is your PR to deal with and maybe you should now beat your drums louder now that demolition has been avoided. If the same people who stopped the demo are the same that turn up the heat on the current owner and somehow find a developer who turns this site around then that would be pretty friggin impressive. I don't believe that when someone challenges you people on the next step that you are really gonna pass the buck are you? Hardin the F up! Accept this as your pep talk following a minor victory.

I can't believe there are so many troglodytes who want demolition. Its may berry verus pottersville....and people are championing Mr potter over George bailey.

No wonder buffalo failed for 80 years. The stewards of the city left it. The vultures and parasites lived off its fat, then its muscle, then its decaying scraps. The Alright won't even display it and all but the few are ignorant of who and what this city really was and is...to them buffalo is a welfare check or a government job or a demoltion contract for parking.

Buffalo is poverty in the heart, the mind and the soul....Rochester still follows the legacy of George Eastman...it still has people acting as city fathers doing things for the area...acting as stewards.

I get the historical significance of the property but at some point its time to move on. If its not financially possible to renovate the property and turn it into a cash flowing investment then what do you do? Its logical. Unless you want to implement some kind of historic tax on the citizens of Erie County to pay for this place then its time to take some pictures, put up a sign and call it a day. I don't think I've seen any of the opposition come up with a viable solution. The facts are that a developer has a plan to utilize the space creating some badly needed tax revenue.

Meanwhile, the houses on Busti are being ripped down as I type this ...

This is absolutely ridiculous. The abandoned, deteriorated Bethlehem Administration Building should be demolished and clear out as soon as possible. This lawsuit and court order temporarily stopping demolition is unnecessary and unwarranted. Where the hell where all these historic preservationists during the past five decades when this building was just sitting and deteriorating? Now that this decrepit eyesore is finally being demolished, all in a sudden these idiotic industrial heritage committees are springing up out of nowhere and getting in the way of desperately needed progress. Instead of halting demolition, the courts should instead order the Lackawanna Industrial Heritage Committee to permanently disband and dissolve themselves. These opponents are nothing more than glorified publicity whores who want to live in the past. It is nonsense like this that is hurting Buffalo and Western New York and making it extremely difficult to retain and attract business and industry.

WHY ARE ALL OF YOU PEOPLE STICKING YOUR NOSE IN SOMEBODY ELSES BUS. ? IT IS GATEWAYS PROPERTY AND THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH IT !!! GET A LIFE. THE BLDG. WAS NEVER FOR SALE. AND MOST PEOPLE ON HERE WOULD'NT BE ABLE TO EVEN PAY THE TAXS ON IT . GET BACK ON YOUR COUCH AND MIND YOUR OWN BUS.OH AND DONT FORGET TO PAY THE RENT !!!