BENSONHURST – ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIAL on the site of a controversial planned homeless shelter in Bensonhurst will be removed, according to City Councilmember Susan Zhuang.
The councilmember released a photo of a notice of asbestos abatement placed on the property at 2501 86th St. by contractor Favorite Environmental Services, with a start date of May 11, 2026, and a projected completion date of April 29, 2027.
Construction work at the site had been projected to start this spring – an announcement that inspired a rowdy protest at the site in March, when the arrival of work trucks late at night prompted some to attempt to block them with their bodies.
On April 4, 2025, an inspector hired by the city declared the site free of asbestos, clearing the way for construction to begin. That inspector has previous convictions related to fraudulent asbestos inspections, however, according to Zhuang, and community members protesting at the site on that date said they did not see anyone enter the property.
In April of this year, as demolition preparations commenced, other residents observed asbestos at the site and reported it to Zhuang, who informed the city Department of Environmental Protection, which re-inspected the site and issued a stop-work order. Although DEP workers later said they did not find any asbestos in further testing of the site’s roof, the new abatement notice appears to indicate the area of concern is on the ground floor.
“Had the community not spoken up, demolition would be occurring right now, spewing asbestos particles into the air,” Zhuang wrote in a press release. “We deserve safety and health, and should never be put in danger like this. DEP must take a hard look at its processes so that this never happens again to any community. What other important inspections have been neglected?”
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