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Pennsylvania community looking to replace asbestos-laden building
The borough of Windber, Pennsylvania, is weighing their options for replacing an asbestos-laden building in their community. It has been estimated that it would cost $1.3 million to replace its mold- and asbestos-contaminated municipal building. Exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, a rare cancer that can cause death within months of being diagnosed.
The disease can lie dormant for up to fifty years before symptoms develop. The cancer affects thousands each year, but has no cure. However, treatment with radiation or chemo does help some patients.
"The borough can't afford anything, really," Windber Borough Councilman James Furmanchik said. "We are in a position where we have to do something."
Unable to pay to estimated cost of upgrading the site, council members have begun to weigh their other options. So far, suggestions have included moving the police department into rented space at the Windber Volunteer Fire Company building, and renovating part of the Windber Community Building to accommodate borough offices.
"We need to move expeditiously," council President Anthony Turcato said. "The building committee is going to meet. We are going to look at the floor plans and look for suggestions to reduce the size of the building. (Councilman Raymond) DiBattista estimates we can reduce the size by 20 percent."
"I'd like to keep the police department with the borough office," Councilman George Ledney said. "If it's cost-effective, I wouldn't have a problem. It comes down to what the cost is going to be for the borough residents."
"That building is not junk by any stretch," Furmanchik concluded. "I think the perfect solution would be if we could operate out of that community building."