As construction and renovation work continues at 25 University Ave., formerly Swope Hall, University officials have asked general contractors on the job to be more cognizant of students around the construction site.For several weeks, students have observed general contractors wearing respirators and facial masks and dumping debris from windows on the second floor of the old music building. 25 University Ave. contained, and most likely still contains, contaminant material such as asbestos and mold. The debris emptied out of the windows often landed on the ground, about 30 feet from an open walkway accessible to the public.
“We have confirmed that [they are] not dumping contaminant material out a chute,” said Dee Giardina, Executive Director of Facilities Design and Construction for WCU.
Giardina explained that an industrial hygienist has worked with the general contracting company, Caldwell, Heckles and Egan, Inc. of Lancaster, Pa., to tag the material inside the building and label material that contains asbestos or any other contaminant.
“The contractor probably would have been better suited to put a dumpster under there,” Giardina conceded.
More than half of the contaminated debris within the building was removed this past winter, Giardina said, acknowledging that some does remain, but that “the building isn’t completely filled with asbestos.”
The penalties for failing to dispose of contaminated materials can be imposed by several agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pennsylvania Department of Environment Protection (PA DOE), Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (PA L&I) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
“I have heard of people going to jail for improper handling of asbestos when it is blatantly negligent,” said Brian Sargent, an asbestos abatement specialist, who said waste containing the contaminant should be disposed of in specially marked black or yellow plastic bags with “hazard” written on them. “If any company ever dumps even trace amounts of asbestos on the ground, they are not doing their job properly.”
The construction and renovation work at 25 University Ave. is expected to be completed this summer with classrooms and offices for the mathematics, computer science and information assurances departments available for the Fall 2008 semester.
The ground floor of the building will house the office of the registrar, bursar, financial aid and associate provost. Giardina was unaware of any plans to rename the building.
After the student service offices move from their present location in the E.O. Bull Centre, the Bull Centre itself will renovated to house the theatre, art and dance departments. The Bull Centre project is expected to begin during the Spring 2009 semester. Giardina said the goal is for it to be completed for the Fall 2010 semester.
Giardina’s foremost priority is the safety of WCU students. She said the facilities department did not want to shut down the sidewalks on Church Street and University Avenue because it would make it more difficult to come in and out of Mitchell Hall.
Information on all construction and renovations projects, including plans to demolish and build five new residence halls starting in 2009, may be found on the facilities department Web site through the University’s homepage.
Jeff J. Simon is a third-year student majoring in communication studies with a minor in journalism. He can be reached at QuadEIC@wcupa.edu.
Matt Lombardo contributed to the completion of this story.