Compliance Plan for Private School without Permits on the Old Edwin Gould Property

NEW CITY, NY — The Rockland Department of Health has reached an agreement with operators of a private elementary school on the grounds of the former Edwin Gould property in Chestnut Ridge that includes inspecting seven buildings for asbestos and posting 13 buildings as uninhabitable.

Also, the Health Department has informed owners of the property that the county will not issue a rooming house permit for two dormitories that appear ready for occupancy until the village of Chestnut Ridge approves the plan.

"Our goal has always been to get compliance," said County Executive Ed Day in announcing the two steps. "We worked collaboratively with the school to reach an agreement that protects the safety of children while also upholding the requirements of the Rockland County Sanitary Code. We cannot issue rooming house permits until all the proper steps have been taken."

A school for girls, Bais Yaakov, is operating at the premises, which had been vacant since the Edwin Gould Academy, an alternative school for troubled New York City youths, closed in 2005. Many of the buildings on the site date back to the 1920s or earlier.

The 145-acre property consists of 20 buildings, including many classrooms, and open space including fields.

The property was sold in 2012 for $9.3 million to Chestnut Ridge Venture L.L.C., which has addresses in Monsey and Brooklyn, according a Journal News article on the history of the site that was reposted by the Historical Society of Rockland County. The article quoted New Cityland-use attorney Ira Emanuel as saying there was a plan to build housing.

Bais Yakov opened without getting all the necessary approvals and inspections, the County Executive noted.

So the county took action to make sure the proper procedures were followed.

Asbestos was discovered in a location in a school building adjacent to a classroom occupied by young children. The school has since remediated the asbestos in that location so it is no longer poses a danger.

In addition, the county discovered two dormitories that appeared to be ready for occupancy. The dorms cannot be occupied until a rooming house permit is issued.

A stipulation has been signed by both Rockland Commissioner of Health Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert and Heshy Censor, property coordinator for Chestnut Ridge Venture, 681 Chestnut Ridge Road.

• Under the terms of the stipulation Chestnut Ridge Venture paid $1,000 and will:
• Hire a licensed, certified inspector to inspect Buildings 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 19 and give the Department of Health reports within four weeks.
• If an asbestos hazard is identified in any of those buildings, a licensed, certified asbestos remediation professional will be hired to abate the hazard by a mutually agreed upon date.
• Allow the Department of Health to post as uninhabitable Buildings 3, 12a, 12b, 17a, 17b and 17c.
• Other buildings will remain vacant and posted as uninhabitable, including Buildings 1, 4, 5, 6, 12, 16 and 18.

The school will have to notify the Department of Health before occupying any of the posted buildings, among other steps.

The county will check the property to make sure terms of the stipulation are being followed.

"Everyone has to follow the law," the County Executive said. "Equal treatment for all. Special preference for none."