Sorry, readers, we really thought we were done with Roebling Oil Field photos–for the uninitiated, it’s our favorite development site, at N. 11th Street and Roebling in Williamsburg–given that the entire site is nearly covered in concrete. That was before a neighborhood source called us over the weekend and directed our attention to the space between the soil and a concrete wall on the Driggs Avenue side of the construction site of the condos that are tentatively named McCarren Park Mews. So, we looked around, and lo and behold, found black gold pooling behind a recently poured concrete wall. Black, oozing muck. We’ve provided a directional arrow in the photo below should anyone have a hard time finding it.
Here’s a bonus photo: If you do go to the Driggs Avenue end of the construction site looking for the oil, don’t step too hard on the edge of the sidewalk, as you might end up having a bad day. The sidewalk has been undermined. There is nothing under the edge of that sidewalk but oil, about fifteen feet down.
Related Posts:
Roebling Oil Field Update: Drilling Begins
From Where Might the Roebling Oil Have Come?
5 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // May 7, 2007 at 8:55 am
any idea if the DEP(fed or NYC versions) cares? has anyone ever called 311 about the site?
2 Anonymous // May 7, 2007 at 1:39 pm
so there is oil in the soil on a construction site? next thing ya know there will be monoxide coming out of car exhausts.
3 Anonymous // May 7, 2007 at 1:42 pm
one stop from manhattan supercedes any and all concerns about toxic danger i am afraid.
4 Greenpoint Archive // May 7, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Isn’t the lack of exaggeration when it comes to an oil spill when it is located in Williamsburg and not Greenpoint revealing. Commenter # 2 actually tries to play it down. The fifty year old Standard oil spill on the Newtown Creek was renamed the Greenpoint oil spill last year, so from now on lets just refer to the Roebling oil spill as the Williamsburg oil spill in the interest of fairness.
Lets do a toxic score card.
Williamsburg oil spill size: Unknown (it might be even bigger than the Exxon Valdez) The Astral oil company operated on the Williamsburg waterfront for decades and may have spilled over 100 million gallons of oil into the ground under Williamsburg contaminating ground water and creating toxic vapors. Many of Williamsburg’s cancer victims may have died because of this oil contamination. Many more may die in the future. Williamsburg’s high cancer rates may now be better understood. How many new residents know about the potential deadly health risks that this oil poses?
Greenpoint oil spill size: defined and now half its original size.
Williamsburg oil spill location: Under newly developed luxury condos and possibly under the majority of the developing community. The full devastating results can only be determined by a lengthy study.
Greenpoint oil spill location: Under the remote industrial property next to the East Williamsburg industrial park.
Greenpoint condos being built on former toxic brownfields: none
Williamsburg condos being built on toxic brownfields: Many (including the Eastern District Site, and now the Williamsburg Oil field site)
Blogs dedicated to spreading lies about toxic hazards in Williamsburg: Hard to find
Blogs dedicated to spreading lies about toxic hazards in Greenpoint: You can hardly swing a stick without hitting one.
The Billyburg liars are getting found out. Truth has a way of surfacing when you give it time. A little taste of your own medicine.
5 Anonymous // May 8, 2007 at 2:21 am
hey greenpoint archive, chill out. i was with you in the beginning when you were stating facts, but you’ve really lost all credibility with your attacks on wburg (your closest neighbor no less).
just stick with the facts and cut out all these attacks. why sink to the level of the people who you disagree with?
any support you might have had will soon be lost. i know i don’t take you seriously anymore.
also, the cancer rates in wburg are pretty much average (and lower than Park Slope and Bklyn Heights as you stated in a prevous email), so you’re really starting to lose it now.
good luck.