Winthrop Research Center Rapidly Rising

Construction of the new Winthrop University Hospital diabetes research center in downtown Mineola is moving as scheduled and is expected to “top out” – meaning that the last piece of steel will be put in place – in the first week of September.

The milestone is expected to be marked by a large ceremony, with several political dignitaries, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, invited to attend.

It will “probably be an all-day affair,” according to Mineola Village Building Superintendent Dan Whalen, who gave the latest update during a meeting of the village board on August 7 at the village hall. “Ultimately they’re going to have some folks sign the last piece going up in the construction as part of the top off ceremony.”

Whalen added that he will be receiving the engineering for the hoistway for men as they close up the interior and the large construction crane will start reaching out and putting up curtain walls to enclose the structure.

Regarding the Winston complex, Whalen reported that crews have completed asbestos mitigation on two of the buildings, some of which had considerable amounts, and construction crews could go ahead and apply for demolition permits if they choose to go the route. The Churchill project is also underway with construction beginning on the first floor.

Crews working on the old Keyspan Building on Old Country Road will soon be submitting asbestos removal plans to the village, which also have to be approved by the state. Whalen said he was advised that engineers would like to “rapidly” proceed with demolition on that building. Keyspan closed on property 10 days prior to the meeting, acquiring the property from the MTA.

“We’re going to have these considerably large projects going on at the same time, ultimately just in different phases,” Whalen said.

Get Mineola news on Facebook