Mayor Bill de Blasio has confirmed reports that asbestos has been found at Gracie Mansion, the Upper East Side mayoral residence.
Workers were replacing a leaky roof at the 216-year-old residence last month when they found pockets of the cancer-causing mineral. De Blasio confirmed the asbestos discovery Thursday at an unrelated news conference in Brooklyn.
“Hopefully we’ll have a long-term solution that will fix the roof but also get the asbestos out,” he said.
The asbestos removal will reportedly begin later this month and cost about $250,000, according to the New York Observer. The replacement of the mansion’s 30-year-old roof will cost an additional $3.4 million.
The de Blasio family will remain in the home during the renovation, as officials do not believe the work poses any health risks. The family moved into the mansion last summer. [NYO] – Rey Mashayekhi