60 Hudson St. Neighbors Press City for Action on Fuel Storage by Ronald Drenger A Tribeca community group last month demanded that the city force the owners of the telecommunications building at 60 Hudson Street to remove diesel-fuel tanks from the building’s upper floors, and said that it will sue the city if no action is taken soon. The group, Neighbors Against NOISE, claims that 60 Hudson Street is in violation of a city regulation prohibiting above-ground fuel tanks within 1,000 feet of a school or hospital, or an entrance to a subway or car tunnel. The building is across the street from Washington Market School and less than three blocks from the Franklin Street subway station. Norman Siegel, the group’s attorney, sent a letter to Patricia Lancaster, commissioner of the city’s Buildings Department, on Nov. 17 asking her to enforce the regulation. Tim Lannan, president of Neighbors Against NOISE, said that the group was prepared to go to court if the city did not act by early next month. “We continue to be hopeful that they will do the right thing, but they haven’t taken steps to show their willingness to enforce the law,” he said. Neighbors Against Noise says that the tanks pose a danger to the neighborhood. Burning diesel fuel is believed to have contributed to the collapse of 7 World Trade Center. Ilyse Fink, a Buildings Department spokeswoman, said that the agency was reviewing Siegel’s letter. 60 Hudson Street houses equipment for telecommunications companies and the fuel is necessary for backup generators. The Buildings Department and 60 Hudson Street’s owners, citing security reasons, will not say how much fuel is in the building, but some government records indicate capacity for as much as 80,000 gallons, most of it below ground. Buildings Department rules limit buildings to one storage tank on each above-ground floor. In November 2002 the agency issued at least 10 violations to 60 Hudson Street for having extra tanks on some floors and installing emergency generators without a permit. Most of the violations have not been corrected, as the Buildings Department is considering a request from the building owners for an exemption. But Lannan said that under the 1,000-foot rule, “none of the fuel should be above ground, period.” Brian Maddox, a spokesman for 60 Hudson Street’s owners, Williams Real Estate and Stahl Real Estate, declined to comment on Siegel’s letter. He said that less than 4,500 gallons was stored above the building’s first floor.