Without a firehouse, thousands of Hudson Yards residents and visitors are at risk, FDNY union says
Hudson Yards via Maciek Lulko on Flickr
While developers built the Hudson Yards mega-development with resiliency and security in mind, adding a powerful mechanical system and a plan to work with police, one major safety component remains missing. The 28-acre, $25 billion private development, the largest in the country, does not have its own firehouse. Members of the Uniformed Firefighters Association once again are calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration on Thursday to build a new firehouse for Hudson Yards, which is expected to bring more than 125,000 new residents to Manhattan’s west side.
According to the FDNY union, the opening of Hudson Yards on Friday will contribute to the current congestion nightmare near Penn Station and the Lincoln Tunnel, ultimately delaying the response times from existing near-by responders. The nearest firehouses to the development are “stretched thin,” which have seen activity increase by 30 percent, according to fire officials.
In a press release sent Wednesday, the union wrote: “Fire officials are concerned for the health, safety, and well-being of tourists, residents, and all who will utilize this neighborhood in the future.”
Developers built the complex to be “fortress-like” in its design, to protect against both terrorist attacks and natural disasters, as 6sqft learned Wednesday. Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group built the massive project by adding a power system that could survive a citywide blackout, a rainwater collection system, and police officers with guard dogs. The developers even hired former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton as a consultant to provide contingency plans for scenarios like truck bombs, chemical attacks, and active shooters.
The call for an additional firehouse comes as fire deaths are on the rise in New York City. The FDNY said this week that fires killed 88 people in NYC in 2018, the most in more than a decade.
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