Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

The Salinas court house in Monterey County has been undergoing renovations for more than five years now. With renovations to just one wing of the Courthouse costing what is estimated to total almost $72 million, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors is now recommending to abort plans to renovate the East and West Wings. Instead, they are recommending finding a new location, hopefully one nearby.

 

Problems with the cost of renovations began in 2005 when asbestos was discovered to be in the North Wing. Unfortunately, workers were exposed to the potentially deadly substance when it was released during demolition. 

 

Many buildings built before the 1980’s contain asbestos containing materials. Asbestos, because of its fire resistant and thermal properties, was used in thousands of building products. If asbestos remains intact and in good condition, it does not pose a threat to human health. However, if airborne, which is likely to occur during renovation activities, asbestos can be inhaled and enter the body. Asbestos fibers can then become lodge in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart cavities and decades later cause a fatal disease known as mesothelioma.

 

The construction workers exposed in 2005 filed an asbestos lawsuit for damages against Nova Partners Inc, the leading construction company. Mesothelioma attorneys helped obtain compensation for the workers and the case settled for an undisclosed amount this year.  

 

The presence of asbestos was not anticipated in original estimates for renovation of the Courthouse. Once discovered, a decision to remove any materials that contained asbestos was made causing the project to require much more money and time to complete.  

 

This week, Yazdan Emrani, director of Monterey County Public Works, recommended scrapping plans to renovate the East/West wings and instead to relocate to a new location. All options are still being investigated.