Chapel near
W.-TC-dosing
for cleanup
St. Paul's Chapel — the
Ground Zero refuge for
emergency workers — is
closing for a has-mat
cleanup before opening to
the public with services
for the fast time in six
months.
The city's Department of
Environmental Protection
ordered the cleanup of the
chapel's facade, interior
and backyard, said chapel
spokesman John Allen.
The church will close after
Easter, March 31.
The 235-year-old chapel
sits behind the World
Trade Center site and was
covered with asbestos and
toxins when the Twin
Towers collapsed.
The shutdown also
means St. Paul's •drill per-
manently close its sanctu-
ary for WTC workers.
Rescue workers have re-
lied on the church for hot
meals and a place to rest
during their 13-hour shifts.
"This has. been a very
difficult decision for us to
make," said Allen.
The chapel has been
closed to the public since
Sept. II. Now the church
says it has an obligation to
offer daily prayer services.
The chapel is expected
to be ready by May 6.
Maria Alvarez
NYC-WTC 000123738
OCR can misread numbers and units. Confirm readings against the page image before using them.
NYC-WTC_000123738Source: NYC Law Department, mirrored locally
Interagency communication regarding questions about toxic hazard reporting related to World Trade Center environmental issues including vehicles and other locations.