Warriner Hall re-opening unknown to university officials
As contractors work on asbestos removal in Warriner Hall, the university officials refuse to guess when the building will re-open.
"I can't tell you when the building will open because every time I've guessed so far I've been wrong," said Barrie Wilkes, vice president of finance and administrative services.
The building was closed on May 29 after tests found elevated levels of asbestos in the air due to crews working on waterlines. Workers noticed insulation and old pipes in an air duct in the building's crawl space.
Wilkes said testing done Wednesday showed more work needs to be done in the building.
"It's one of those things where we clean up something, conduct tests, and find out that is more to clean somewhere else," Wilkes said. "In an old and big building like this, finding out there is more work to be done is not surprising."
Warriner's mechanical room was cleaned over the weekend.
"We got the results back Friday from the additional testing that was done," Wilkes said. "It identified additional spots in the building that need to be worked on."
Before the building reopens, workers must install a new air handling system for the President's Office. According to Wilkes, the current system is old and would cost more to fix than replace.
On the third floor, a number of air ducts still require cleaning. The new installation and the cleanup of the third floor is scheduled for Wednesday.
Additional air testing in the building is required after the abatement. Results take 24 hours to process.
Wilkes said the estimated cost can't be determined until the removal of asbestos and the cleaning of the building is complete.
"It's going to take a while before we know the cost," Wilkes said. "Right now we're focusing on cleaning up the offices. Once we start working on the abatement of the auditorium we'll have a better idea."
