Vacant building requires mesothelioma-causing asbestos removal
In Augusta, Maine, the Sibley Mill property needs a buyer. Dating to 1880, Sibley Mill has been part of the Augusta skyline for over a century, but has been vacant in recent years. After shutting down in 2006, a developer expressed interest in the property in 2008, but the deal fell through about a year ago.
Erick Montgomery, the executive director of Historic Augusta Inc., hopes that the historic property will be purchased and cleaned up soon. "It's kind of in limbo now," he said. "This past year wasn't a year when investors were coming out of the woodwork." The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but Montgomery says, "To get something going there, you'll have to have somebody with a lot of vision -- and some deep pockets. Or the present owners will have to get a lot hungrier."
Canal Authority Chairman Bob Woodhurst says that a potential buyer would inherit a building rife with environmental issues. "Some environmental work has been done, but when you get into those sort of studies it gets very complicated and very expensive," Mr. Woodhurst said.
"There has been enough done already that it is now known there will be some cleanup necessary. If someone were to buy it and use it as a mill, it would require less cleanup than for someone who wants to put in lofts or residences there," he said, adding, "It needs to be more than just saved. It needs to be used. If we had all the money in the world, we'd buy it right away. But we don't have that kind of money."
Asbestos cleanup and the removal of lead paint are just two issues at the property. Removing the asbestos properly will reduce the risk of exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, which are linked to the development of pleural plaques, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive form of cancer that remains incurable.
The mill was once on the market for $2.5 million, but that price may be lowered due to environmental issues, fluctuations in the market, or other factors.
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