Asbestos Halts Work At Planned 86-Story UWS Tower

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The New York City Department of Environmental Protection issued a stop work order for an Upper West Side property where an 86-story tower is planned, after inspectors found that material containing asbestos had been disturbed during demolition work, according to the agency.

The planned 86-story building at 77 West 66th Street would become the tallest building on the Upper West Side, according to the West Side Rag, which first reported the story.

Extell Development is the company redeveloping the whole site, which is part of the former ABC/Disney campus.

Extell bought the campus back in 2022 for more than $925,000,000.

DEP told Patch it issued the stop work order for the entire property on July 24 after an inspection found that waterproofing tar material containing asbestos had been disturbed during demolition at the site.

"Work may not resume until a cleanup scope of work for all asbestos-containing material has been submitted and approved, and the asbestos-containing material has been properly abated," the spokesperson told Patch.

Once those requirements are met, the agency said the order can be lifted.

"Once those steps are complete, the stop work order would be lifted and construction may proceed," the spokesperson said.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.