Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 18, 1990 TAG: 9006180346
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Beginning in mid-July, the Roanoke Civic Center's auditorium will be closed for two months so asbestos can be removed from the lobby ceiling and other areas.
In recent weeks, City Council has approved several contracts for asbestos removal from public buildings.
The latest one involves the four historic buildings at 118-124 Campbell Ave. S.W. that were purchased by the city last year to prevent them from being razed.
The city will spend almost $65,000 to take asbestos out of the Victorian-era structures that were bought from James Trinkle, who had planned to raze them for a parking lot.
Asbestos, a widely used building material for many years before researchers discovered that it is a health hazard, has been linked to several forms of cancer.
Removing asbestos from the civic center auditorium is expected to cost between $200,000 and $400,000. Council has already approved a $76,600 contract with a consulting firm to prepare the plans and oversee the asbestos removal. Now it must hire a contractor to do the work.
There is asbestos in the ceiling of the auditorium lobby and beneath the carpet. A small portion of asbestos was exposed last year while workers were installing an elevator for the handicapped in the auditorium.
Some asbestos was safely removed during the construction of the elevator shaft, but some was accidentally disturbed. The auditorium was closed for a week until the carpet, draperies and other materials that were contaminated were removed.
Because of bookings, the auditorium could not be closed until this summer so the rest of the asbestos could be removed.
Removing asbestos from school buildings will be the biggest expense for the city.
The $15.2 million bond issue approved by city voters last November included $3.3 million for asbestos removal. Almost all school buildings have some asbestos.
School officials said the asbestos will be removed from the buildings during summer break as a safety precaution to prevent children from being exposed to the material. The work is being done with funds that were previously earmarked for that purpose. Beginning in the summer of 1991, the bond money will be used to remove asbestos from other schools.
Total Action Against Poverty was also required to remove asbestos from the old Dumas Hotel on First Street Northwest (Henry Street) before the renovation work could begin on the conversion of the structure into a music center.
The anti-poverty agency had to pay $210,000 to remove the material from the building. The city loaned the money to TAP.
Asbestos is now banned for most uses, but it was used for insulation and other purposes in in many buildings that were constructed before 1978.
State building regulations require asbestos to be removed from commercial and public buildings - constructed prior to 1978 - before the owners can obtain building permits for renovating or demolishingthem.
The regulations do not apply to single-family residences, residential structures with four or fewer units, farm buildings or structures with less than 3,500 square feet of space.
"Most older buildings have some asbestos in them. It was used for tile, insulation, ceilings, wrapping heating pipes and other things," said Ron Miller, city building commissioner.
State and federal laws establish guidelines for asbestos removal to protect workers during the removal, keep asbestos fibers from getting into the atmosphere during the removal and provide for disposal of asbestos material.
by CNB