Attachment 1_Excerpt from NOSC NYC Phase 1 Archaeological Survey.pdf

PHASE 1 ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY

NOSC NEW YORK CITY

BOROUGH OF THE BRONX

CITY OF NEW YORK

BRONX COUNTY, NEW YORK

PREPARED FOR

OAK POINT ASSOCIATES

231 MAIN STREET

BIDDEFORD, MAINE 04005

BY

T. ARRON KOTLENSKY, RPA

PETER A. LEACH, RPA

TIMOTHY C. LLOYD, PH.D., RPA

JOEL I. KLEIN, PH.D., RPA

1 CROTON POINT AVENUE

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK 10520

JUNE 2013

Attachment 4

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NY OPRHP MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

i

PHASE 1 ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY

NOSC NEW YORK CITY

BOROUGH OF THE BRONX, CITY OF NEW YORK, BRONX COUNTY, NEW YORK

NY OPRHP MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

NY OPRHP Review Number: Not issued at the time of submittal

Involved State and Federal Agencies: Department of the Navy/Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC)

Phase of Survey: Phase I

Location Information:

Location: Intersections of Pennyfield, Erben, and Shepard

Avenues Minor Civil Division: Borough of the Bronx (MCD 005.01) County: Bronx

Survey Area:

Total length surveyed: 145m/475 feet Width of survey corridor: 10m/33 feet (width of transect) Total area surveyed: Approximately 6 acres (combination of shovel tested and pedestrian reconnaissance)

Quadrangle Maps: Flushing, N.Y.

Archeological Survey Overview:

Number & interval of shovel tests: 11 shovel tests at 10m/33ft

8 shovel tests at 10m/33ft (previously reported, 2012) 0 shovel tests at 1m or 3m

Results of Archeological Survey:

Number/name of pre-contact sites identified: 0 Number/name of historic sites identified: 0

Report Authors: T. Arron Kotlensky, RPA Peter A. Leach, RPA Timothy C. Lloyd, Ph.D., RPA Joel I. Klein, Ph.D., RPA

Date of Report: June 2013

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4.0 PHASE 1 ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND GEOARCHEOLOGICAL/GEOPHYSICAL RESULTS/INTERPRETATION

NOSC NEW YORK CITY

BOROUGH OF THE BRONX, CITY OF NEW YORK, BRONX COUNTY, NEW YORK

differential settling of sediments, and may support the interpretation that Anomaly 9 is a buried historical feature. A review of Figures 6 – 13 does not suggest Anomaly 9 represents a documented former structure or feature.

Anomaly 10 is a roughly circular anomaly located in a grassy area south of a small brick storage building (Figure 15). The anomaly may be related to modern utilities since there is fire hydrant and a manhole cover adjacent to the anomaly’s location. Conversely, the anomaly is quite shallow and could simply be a stratigraphic inconsistency.

Running along the edge of the grassed area is a large utility line that is obvious in the conductivity data (Appendix III of Appendix B) and in the GPR time slices (Appendix I of Appendix B). Alternatively, the anomaly is located adjacent to the probable location of the former hospital and may be related to the structure.

4.3.2 Area Two Results

The surface conditions in Area Two, ranging from grassy areas, to asphalt-paved Shepard Avenue with its concrete dividers and concrete drainage curbs and culverts, as well as an asphalt parking area proved to be a difficult area for geophysical survey. The data, while of good quality, revealed a variable subsurface to match the surficial environments. Many of the surface features, such as the road and drainage ditches, appear in the geophysical data across a wide depth range. This is due to the nature of these materials, and their tendency to generate multiples down through the data. These multiples are “artifacts of the record” in that they are not real, but they cannot be filtered from the real data. The small strip of grass between Shepard Avenue and the NOSC building is clearly disturbed and contains at least one large, likely utility line (see Figure 12, Appendix B). This likely utility runs to the southeast and, while it was difficult to trace around a large sign, vegetation, and a concrete stairway, appears to interface with a manhole cover within the small parking area. In the parking area itself, numerous likely utility lines cutting across the parking lot were seen in the geophysical data that run roughly west to east toward and away from the nearby fenced-in electrical transformers (see Figure 12, Appendix B). A large likely utility line (presumably a sewer line) interfaces with the existing manhole and runs roughly southeast to northwest across the Shepard Avenue-facing section of the parking lot.

The area between Shepard Avenue and the modern seawall shows obvious signs of widespread disturbance, filling episodes, and installation of numerous and large likely utility lines (see Figure 12, Appendix B). It is clear from historical maps and aerial imagery that the seawall facing the East River has consistently run roughly parallel to Shepard Avenue. It is not obvious from the geophysical data whether any remnants of any former seawall segments are now present beneath the ground surface. Many large stratigraphic anomalies are present in this area, which likely represent numerous filling episodes related to the building and infilling of the seawall (see Figure 12, Appendix B).

Steeply sloping portions of Area Two, especially in the southern portions that border the modern athletic field, show many dipping fill layers over a relatively obvious basal reflector. The GPR data in this location suggest that large amounts of fill were used to build a steep artificial landscape in this location. Further to the south, Area Two comprises areas exclusively beneath Shepard Avenue. The geophysical data in this area reveal numerous likely utility lines that cut through the bed of the road, with surficial evidence of asphalt patching to support this interpretation. This area, as well as the steeply sloping areas to the north, exhibits no clear evidence of archaeological features.

Anomaly 11 is located below the parking lot adjacent to Shepard Avenue (Figure 15). The asphalt patch in this area, related to the investigation of a sinkhole in 2011, shows clearly in the GPR data. Around 10 to 20cmbs the asphalt patch cuts through a geometrical, roughly rectangular high amplitude anomaly (Anomaly11) that measures roughly 50 by 26 feet (Appendix I of Appendix B). The GPR time slice expression of this anomaly is more obvious than that

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4.0 PHASE 1 ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND GEOARCHEOLOGICAL/GEOPHYSICAL RESULTS/INTERPRETATION

NOSC NEW YORK CITY

BOROUGH OF THE BRONX, CITY OF NEW YORK, BRONX COUNTY, NEW YORK

of the two-dimensional profiles (Appendix II of Appendix B). Previous archaeological monitoring recorded a brick structure in this location, and brick can be difficult to identify on GPR profiles. This difficulty is a result of the brick reaching a level of moisture saturation equal to that of the surrounding soil. In these cases, the brick shows relatively low dielectric contrast with the surrounding sediment and is quite difficult to identify. However, the time slice data reveal subtle lateral changes in dielectric contrasts and reveal a roughly geometrical main anomaly that is consistent with the brick structure identified by JMA personnel in 2011 and historical mapping suggesting the presence of structures in this area. The portion of the main anomaly that extends to the north is equally difficult to define on GPR profiles, though it appears as a complex area of anomalies on GPR time slice data and seems to interface with the main anomaly. This anomaly could represent other portions of the same structure or a portion of a different structure, an interpretation supported by the proximity of a well-documented hospital structure to this location (Figures 6 - 12). Conductivity data in this area show a spike in conductivity levels next to the main NOSC building, that then appear to drop toward the southwestern edge of Anomaly 11. The conductivity levels again increase outside the anomaly, but these high levels are likely related to a large utility line. There are too many high conductivity features in the vicinity to confidently assess the conductivity response of Anomaly 11. This anomaly appears to be related to the brick feature observed during archaeological monitoring in 2011, and appears to extend beyond the boundaries of the mechanically excavated test pit. Despite disturbance from presumably modern utility lines, this area probably contains additional subsurface evidence of likely archaeological origins. The geophysical data cannot reveal the age or purpose of this structure but again, it is most likely related to the former hospital structure located in the vicinity of the anomaly. JMA recommends further testing or archeological monitoring during excavation of this anomaly to identify its age, stratigraphic features, and geotechnical characteristics in the event of excavation and construction in this general area.

Anomaly 12 is a geometrical high amplitude anomaly located under Shepard Avenue in the vicinity of the modern athletic field (Figure 15). Shepard Avenue presented numerous problems for the GPR survey mostly in terms of low overall signal amplitudes and overall depth penetration, likely related to the composition of the road, compaction, and the composition and density of the road bed. The shallowest time slices reveal variations in the road or road bed, showing predominantly areas of high amplitudes with occasional low amplitude areas suggesting different materials or disturbance. The deeper GPR slices reveal many likely utility lines that extend beneath the road, and in most cases these are the only coherent anomalies. The exception is Anomaly 12, which is most obvious on the 40cm and 70cm time slices (see Appendix I of Appendix B). The time slice expression of this anomaly is consistent with buried historical remains, possibly a concrete slab section. Supporting evidence comes from aerial imagery dated to 1924 that shows a rectangular structure in the approximately the same location as the anomaly (Figure 10); no other figures depict a structure or feature in the general location of anomaly 12. The two-dimensional GPR profiles reveal an anomalous area of repeating multiples suggesting a dense or compacted layer, while the conductivity data reveal a geometrical area of low conductivity that stands out in sharp contrast to the high conductivity levels in the vicinity.

This anomaly does not exhibit any evidence of local subsidence or settling.

Anomaly 13 is located at the rear of the NOSC building in a small parking and building access area where local asphalt subsidence has resulted in at least one repair attempt (Figure 15). This anomaly is a large and complex subsurface feature, appearing in the GPR data between 30 cm and 170 cm below ground surface. The two-dimensional GPR profiles reveal a deep, steep-sided and filled depression containing fill units and many large, complex hyperbolic reflectors. The time slice data (see Appendix I of Appendix B) reveal a roughly geometrical shape, with internal linear and right-angled features, and a general concentration of high-amplitude contents that suggest mixed and coarse fill materials. Anomaly 13 is most likely a buried and poorly-filled, historical structure or structural element containing segments of internal walls, possibly related to an extension of the former hospital. It

Attachment 4

pg. 4 of 9 kerry.vautrot Highlight should be noted that numerous utility lines cut across the more shallow buried portions of the anomaly and may have resulted in significant disturbance.

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5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

NOSC NEW YORK CITY

BOROUGH OF THE BRONX, CITY OF NEW YORK, BRONX COUNTY, NEW YORK

5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

JMA conducted a Phase 1 archeological survey of the property of the NOSC New York City, located at the intersections of Pennyfield, Erben and Shepard Avenues in the Borough of the Bronx, City of New York, Bronx County, New York.

One State/National Register-listed site, portions of Fort Schuyler, (90NR00044), lies approximately .5 miles southeast of the Study Area and is the only State/National Register-listed site located within a one mile radius of the Study Area. No previously recorded archeological sites are located within the boundaries of the Study Area, nor within a one-mile radius of the Study Area. The closest archeological site located to the Study Area (1.3 miles to the north-northwest) is the Weir Creek Point site (alternatively called “Throgs Neck” or “Schley Avenue” site), a shell midden site first explored in 1900 (Harrington 1909:176) and discussed in further detail by Skinner (1919) and Smith (1950:165).

JMA personnel completed archival background research at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration centers in Washington, DC and College Park, MD and at the Stephen B. Luce Library at the SUNY Maritime College. JMA field personnel hand excavated eleven (11) shovel tests located at an approximate 10m (33-foot) interval within the Study Area, as per the guidelines established for the project. JMA did not excavate any additional radial shovel tests as no prehistoric artifacts were recovered from any of the eleven shovel tests. JMA collected a total of thirty-five (35) historic period artifacts from the eleven shovel tests within the Study Area, dating in manufacture from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Additionally, JMA personnel noted no evidence of archeological features or middens in any of the eleven shovel tests. Two additional grassy areas within the Study Area were not subjected to subsurface archeological testing due to the presence of buried utilities. In 2012, JMA completed shovel testing in association with NAVFAC’s proposed repairs to the seawall along Pennyfield Avenue

(JMA 2012).

JMA personnel also completed a geoarcheological/geophysical survey of the Study Area to assess the possible presence and identity of buried archeological features within the Study Area (JMA 2013; Appendix B). Through the remote sensing investigation, JMA identified twelve individual geophysical anomalies suggestive of buried, intact archeological features. Of these twelve anomalies, five (1, 3, 8, 10, and 11) can be confidently matched to documented historic structures that were once located in the vicinity of a representative anomaly, or as in the case of Anomaly 10, matched to an identified above ground structure (i.e., a fire hydrant).

5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS

In the opinion of JMA, no further subsurface archeological investigations are necessary within the grassy area along the present sea wall and Shepard Avenue. Areas encompassed by buried utilities possesses a moderate probability for the presence of previously undocumented archeological resources; however, the documented emplacement of several utility lines and associated trunks since the late nineteenth century has in all likelihood greatly disturbed or destroyed archeological features intersected by such utilities. JMA does however recommend archeological monitoring in the event of intensive excavations in the vicinity of Anomalies 11 (probable former hospital location;

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5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

NOSC NEW YORK CITY

BOROUGH OF THE BRONX, CITY OF NEW YORK, BRONX COUNTY, NEW YORK

identified in Sections 4.3 and 5.1) and 13 (possible north extension of former hospital) so as to permit identification and protection of any intact archeological features or deposits that could be useful in interpreting the construction, history, and operation of this former Fort Schuyler hospital.

JMA further recommends that NAVFAC and its contractors take into consideration the current masonry gate located at the intersection of Pennyfield and Shepard Avenues during installation of the Shepard Avenue fence and traffic rerouting (Figures 2, 14; Photographs 2, 4, 6). However, the masonry gate and its associated guard house date to c.

1938 when the WPA completed various improvements throughout the Fort Schuyler property. The masonry gate was connected via metal fencing to other barrier features throughout the fort property along the peninsula, many of which have been removed since their construction. As a result, the existing masonry gate at the intersection of Pennyfield and Shepard Avenues lacks integrity with regard to the original and complete fence system and therefore, may not be a contributing historic architectural resource to the current NOSC New York City facility.

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Figure 15. Geophysical anomalies of note identified in geophysical data overlaid on modern aerial photograph (Microsoft 2012; see also Appendix B, Figure 13).

0 25m

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GPR Survey Area -- 400 MHz

GEOPHYSICAL ANOMALIES

Unknown Features

Historical Landscaping Features

Potential Concrete Path/Road Segment

Potential Buried Structure and Structural Elements

MODERN SURFACE FEATURES

Fire Hydrants

Modern Buildings and Obstructions

Fences

AREA 3

AREA 2

AREA 1

Anomaly 13

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