Rotterdam to repair Babe Ruth Clubhouse after vehicle crash

Car crash scene with damaged building and paramedics working on a patient — PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

FILE - The scene in June 2022

ROTTERDAM — After a speeding vehicle crashed into the Babe Ruth Clubhouse last year, the Poutre Avenue building will undergo temporary repairs and asbestos abatement in the coming weeks.

Recently, the Town Board unanimously approved a series of contracts for the project, including one totaling $18,817 to Tote Construction Services for the temporary shoring of the building at 912 Poutre Ave., which was struck by a speeding vehicle traveling southwest down the roadway.

The driver has accepted responsibility for the crash, and the town is expected to be reimbursed for the repairs, according to Fred Mastroianni, the town’s engineering consultant, who noted that permanent repairs will need to be made to the structure in the future.

While assessing the crash damage, the town discovered approximately 500 square feet of asbestos in the building’s basement ceiling that needs to be removed prior to repair work, according to Mastroianni.

Lawmakers approved an $18,680 contract for Greenbriar Construction Services of Albany to remove the material, a process that is expected to be completed in three or four days, according to a proposal by the company.

The town has also hired Spectrum Environmental Associates of Schenectady to oversee the abatement process at a rate of $690 per day.

Babe Ruth Baseball has been a decades-long tradition at Memorial Field, enlisting dozens of children of various age groups each year. The organization could not be reached for comment.

Contact reporter Chad Arnold at: [email protected] or by calling 518-395-3120.