Asbestos halts demolition at former Ivy Ridge nursing home site

Demolition of the former Ivy Ridge Personal Care Center got underway earlier this month, but stopped abruptly after a city site inspection found asbestos on the site.

Several pieces of heavy machinery and a big pile of rocks and building material are now at 5627 Ridge Ave., slated to become the Kingsley Court development, but the work site is silent. Part of the rear of the building and a fire-damaged carriage house are already down but no work has been done since June 12, when a city inspector shut the site down and posted green violation notices — including on an excavator.

Stephen Goldner, the project’s architect who represented the plan before local civic groups, said yesterday there was an asbestos removal plan in place on the property and removal work had been ongoing even before the city made its inspection, but referred further questions to contractors. NewsWorks is reaching out to them for comment.

In the days after the fatal Market Street collapse, the city Department of Licenses and Inspections mobilized to conduct inspections of every site with an open demolition permit.

The 3.5-acre site will become Kingsley Court, a 32-home neighborhood of twin carriage houses. Goldner previously told NewsWorks several of the homes were sold or pending.

NewsWorks has partnered with independent news gatherer PlanPhilly to provide regular, in-depth, timely coverage of planning, zoning and development news. Contact Amy Z. Quinn at azquinn@planphilly.com.