Albany, NY School Asbestos Abatement Costs Could Be Higher Than Expected
In July of this year parents were notified that the Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science and Technology would be closed for the school year due to what was thought to be a minor asbestos problem.
When the initial abatement process began on the Academy and its parent school, Griffin Elementary School, it was thought that it would be a simple remediation project but as work began it was discovered that the problem was much worse than officials had previously realized. According to the school districts spokesperson, Ron Lesko, “asbestos was found in places from which it was thought it had been removed two decades ago in the late 1980s.”
Students have since been relocated to the former Philip Schuyler Elementary School while renovations and abatement are being performed at the Academy. School officials are estimating that the school will not reopen until approximately the 2009-2010 school year.
What was originally thought to be a minor issue will end up costing the school district in upwards of $10 million. It is estimated that $3.8 million of that will be sent toward the asbestos removal alone, while another $8-$9 million will be spent on renovations.
