City building inspectors are facing a flood of citizen complaints about asbestos risks stemming from the demolition of the old police station at 158 Bedford St.

 

Those concerns are unfounded, building commissioner Glenn Hathaway said, thanks to mitigation measures taken by the demo crew.

 

“I’m not polluting the city,” Hathaway told The Herald News.

 

Demolition of the old police station began on Aug. 18 after Hathaway deemed the dilapidated building a health hazard in June 2026, allowing him to bypass a typical 12-month demolition delay for historic structures.

 

Typically, asbestos is removed from inside a building before it’s demolished. That wasn’t possible with the old police station, said Daniel McGrath with ARAM Environmental Testing, who was hired by Hathaway to survey the building for asbestos and to monitor air quality during demolition.

 

“It was just too unsafe in there, you know, floors falling through,” McGrath said.

 

So contractors from Bestech, Inc. demolished the building as is under a $1.4 million contract. That comes with risks. Signs around the demolition site warn passersby of possible asbestos exposure. Workers must continuously spray rubble with water to prevent dust from flying. McGrath monitors four air quality sensors around the site to ensure mitigation measures are working.