Demolition of Former Rockland County Clerk’s Building Begins (VIDEO)

Demolition of the former Rockland County Clerk’s building on New Hempstead Road began Wednesday.  Knocking down the one-story structure is expected to take several days and then a few more days for the debris to be removed.  It is part of the project to reconstruct New Hempstead Road, which began last spring and has continued through the winter.

“We certainly made up for lost time last summer,” said Joe Pyzowski, capital projects manager for the county Highway Department. 

He was referring to days lost preparing for and cleaning up when Hurricane Irene hit Rockland and other episodes of heavy downpours and flooding rains slowed the construction.  

Demolition of the white building was delayed by asbestos removal and rerouting utilities. The materials taken from the former  are being separated into piles of tin, light metal, concrete and trash and will be placed into dumpsters.  The containers should arrive at the site today.

Dismantling of the building is part of the plan to flatten out the “S” curve on the hilly portion of the east-west thoroughfare.  A temporary road is being built from Little Tor Road, which will pass the site of the former county clerk’s building and continue to the highway department building.  Digging has been in progress to lower New Hempstead Road on the northern side by 10 feet to also lessen the sharpness of the curve.

The reconstruction of New Hempstead Road reaches from North Main Street to the Palisades Interstate Parkway.  It is a 28-month-long, $28.5 million reconstruction project that included replacement of the bridge over the Demarest Kill.