The Middletown School District has taken its first step toward the demolition of Roosevelt Elementary School, reports the Middletown Journal. The elementary school, located in Middletown, Ohio, has stood vacant for two years.
It will cost the district $402,800 to rid the building of asbestos, and then demolish it. Middletown’s Phase 1 Building Project allotted for $750,000.
“When we campaigned for the bond issue in 2003, one of the promises the board made to the community was that they would not leave any empty buildings standing,” said Debbie Alberico, Middletown City School community relations specialist. “The building is the building…What makes a building is the people in it,” she added.
The Board of Education approved a $64,800 bid from Central Insulation Systems to remove asbestos from the inside of the building. The asbestos abatement process will take six weeks.
Although asbestos abatement is a costly and intricate process, the material must be removed from the building. For when asbestos is disturbed, during renovation or demolition, the particles can easily become airborne, and pose a serious health risk to those exposed. Extended exposure to the material has been known to cause several diseases, including mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive asbestos cancer, which affects nearly 3,000 Americans each year. The internal linings of the lung, heart and abdominal cavities are most often affected by the disease.
The demolition is slated to begin in the end of September, and conclude by December 3.