A simple cap can’t make this polluted Brighton Beach site great again.
Builders unveiled new renderings for a pair of massive commercial and residential complex rising from the old Trump Village Shopping Center in Brighton Beach as part of Cammeby’s International Neptune/Sixth project. But before the billionaire development company can break ground, it needs Con Ed and the state to deal with the toxic earth that sits beneath the shopping center. Reps from Cammeby’s previously said the company wants to cap the land — which is riddled with contaminants, including coal tar and cyanide — but state officials said that’s not good enough, and now Cammeby’s is in a holding pattern until it gets the green light from the state, a spokeswoman said.
“National Grid and [Department of Environmental Conservation] are responsible for determining the appropriate course of action for site remediation. As the landowner, Cammeby’s is obligated to cooperate and is currently awaiting direction from National Grid and DEC,” said Christa Segalini of Cammeby’s.
A state spokesman declined to give specifics on what that plan might entail, simply saying covering over the dirty soil is not enough.
“DEC is working with National Grid to come up with an acceptable plan, which will require more than simply a site cover,” said spokesman Benning DeLaMater.
Cammeby’s International owner Rubin Schron plans to build a 544-unit, 41-story residential tower with an attached retail hub atop the Trump Village Shopping Center on Neptune Avenue, and a seven-story retail and commercial building on Sheepshead Bay Road — both near W. Sixth Street. Contractors recently started work on the seven-story development and expect to finish by summer 2017. And Cammeby’s anticipates to start building the Neptune Avenue shopping center this fall, but plans to build the condos in late 2017.
Developers have not yet released renderings of the 544-unit tower on Neptune Avenue.
