Posted on 01/28/2007 1:33:06 PM PST by restornu
Jan. 26, 2007 — A proposed 45-story development spearheaded by real estate mogul Donald Trump has unearthed human remains that may belong to abolitionists from an abolitionist New York City church founded in 1811, according to an archaeological report recently filed with the city.
Trump and project partners Bayrock/Sapir LLC were issued a "Stop Work Order" on December 12, 2006, when news of the remains came to light.
"At that time, it was requested that the developers work with an archaeologist," NYC Department of Buildings spokesperson Kate Lindquist told Discovery News.
She added, "They (the developers) keep submitting and resubmitting plans that the department determines are noncompliant."
The archaeological report mentions that the remains — possibly belonging to 15-20 individuals, including two children — appear to be from a 1820-1835 burial vault under the Spring Street Presbyterian Church, which suffered a fire and was razed shortly thereafter in 1963.
The report states, "The church's fierce abolitionism was known almost from its inception," and goes on to suggest that sermons often addressed racial tolerance.
Interracial marriages were also performed at the church, according to the report. Such acts were deemed radical and resulted in an 1834 attack by an anti-abolitionist mob.
"At the Spring Street Church, the rioters entered the church through smashed windows, took the remnants of the organ, pew and galleries that they had destroyed and used them to create a barricade outside against the approaching National Guard, who had been called out to control the crowd."
Despite the building permit rejections, Trump and his colleagues have a permit to excavate the site, which concerned locals say may have harmed the burial vault and its contents.
Andrew Berman, director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, told Discovery News, "Neither the living nor the dead are pleased with this development."
Berman explained that he and many locals have been dismayed by the project from the outset, since the 454-foot proposed condo-hotel would be the tallest building between midtown Manhattan and the city's financial district. They also believe it is out of character with the rest of the neighborhood and it could cause traffic jams due to its location near a Holland Tunnel entrance.
He said Trump and his colleagues were given an "as of right" pass by the city, "which basically means they can just start digging."
This enabled the developers to bypass a procedure that would have required a review of historic records of the site, field testing, and analysis to determine if historically important resources are present.
In addition to the human remains and the historical significance of the church, Berman believes the site may have been part of the Underground Railroad, a vast network of people who helped fugitive slaves to escape to northern states and to Canada.
If that were the case, other regulations would apply to the proposed development, similar to laws that are meant to protect former Native American burial grounds.
Berman said, "Who would ever think that we'd be uttering the name Donald Trump in the same breath as 19th-century abolitionists?"
While final decisions have yet to be made, the developers continue to work at the site, where they expect to complete the building's foundation by May.
There are a lot of skeletons in that place, and the dead occupy seats there.
Perhaps you should read the article carefully, you might have missed this...
"This enabled the developers to bypass a procedure that would have required a review of historic records of the site, field testing, and analysis to determine if historically important resources are present."
You might consider that New York City has certain additional requirements regarding historic sites and archaeological resources than the rest of New York State.
Phase 1 studies are not always triggered just by Section 106 requirements (public funding), they can also be triggered by more stringent local requirements which in many areas require privately funded projects in certain specific areas to undertake historic/archaeologic assesments of the project areas.
Also in urban archaeology the use of ground penetrating radar could have identified the presence of the underground anomoly (burial chamber). Use of GPR in Phase 1 studies is not unheard of on sites that may have significant cultural features buried below shovel testing depth.
"This enabled the developers to bypass a procedure that would have required a review of historic records of the site, field testing, and analysis to determine if historically important resources are present."
If accurate, I think your beef should be with Mayor Bloomberg, not Trump.
And the tale of the "as of right" pass by the city originates from a very questionable source, Andrew Berman, who seems dead set against the project, whatever its merits.
You might consider that New York City has certain additional requirements regarding historic sites and archaeological resources than the rest of New York State.
Maybe so. Can you cite some of them for me?
Phase 1 studies are not always triggered just by Section 106 requirements (public funding), they can also be triggered by more stringent local requirements which in many areas require privately funded projects in certain specific areas to undertake historic/archaeologic assesments of the project areas.
Very true. Can you cite the "more stringent local requirements" that apply in this case?
Also in urban archaeology the use of ground penetrating radar could have identified the presence of the underground anomoly (burial chamber). Use of GPR in Phase 1 studies is not unheard of on sites that may have significant cultural features buried below shovel testing depth.
In an urban (a.k.a. disturbed) setting GPR is hopeless. Take it from someone who has excavated many 2x2's WAY below OSHA rules (the cheap-assed CRM old-girl network loves to put their boys in the trenches way over their heads), it's worthless. You can, however, find some pretty big rocks that way!
Properly employed, GPR is a geat tool. It's great for finding where you should use the Gradall to look for grave shafts. But if you want to put a 2x2 over every place you find a GPR anomaly you'll never make it as a real world PI.
I suggest you place a very dry towel over the posterior of your very damp auditory flap if you want to make your living (other than a shovel bum) in CRM.
Actually I was a professional archaeologist for over a decade and worked on several projects in New York City including the African Burial Ground, City Hall Park, Ellis Island and Central Park. While I am not aware of every specific regulation regarding archaeology in New York City, I do know that I worked on at least one project in Richmond County (Staten Island), which was privately funded but was required to perform an archaeological assesment by virtue of a local regulation.
You might be interested to know that GPR is being used with much success in urban settings. What is required is a skilled, experienced operator.
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