2008 Woodie Awards
Asbestos closes Hartman Theatre
Benjamin Pomerance
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: News
Originally published: 9/27/07 at 6:45 PM EST
Last update: 9/27/07 at 6:44 PM EST
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In October 2006, PSUC hired Atlantic Testing Laboratories to search for asbestos-containing materials in the fire curtain. Results from bulk sampling - the sampling of solid materials - indicated a slight presence of asbestos in the drape's woven fabric. A follow-up air sampling by the certified asbestos consulting firm in April 2007 again identified a low concentration of airborne asbestos fibers.
As soon as the college received the results of the air sampling, EHS closed Hartman Theatre for "an indefinite length of time."
"You have to do it," Tait said of the closure. "Even though the trace of asbestos that was found was minimal, everyone involved decided we needed to err on the side of safety."
Once the presence of asbestos had been confirmed by Atlantic Testing, jurisdiction of any future matters relating to the theater was transferred from PSUC to the New York State Office of General Services, who promptly hired Delta Engineering to conduct another study. Although the resulting report from Delta stated, "there appears to be no immediate concern of exposure or contamination" from the asbestos, the consulting firm recommended the removal and replacement of the fire curtain.
In response to this suggestion, the Office of General Services hired asbestos removal contractor Warren & Panzer at the beginning of the summer. A wall-to-wall cleaning has been taking place in Hartman Theatre ever since.
"This is not a fast process," Tait explained. "Right now, the contractors are literally cleaning every single surface in that theater - the walls, the chairs, the desks, the stage, you name it. Everybody involved wants to make sure Hartman Theatre is as safe as we can possibly make it when those doors are finally re-opened. It takes time to do this the correct way."
This is too much time, for some people. With the fall semester already in full swing, Tait said many people are itching for information about when the theater will once again be safe for student and community use.
From the start, Tait said, Warren & Panzer had set mid-October as a projected finishing date. Right now, he said, progress appears to be right on schedule, allowing the theater to re-open in time for some fall performances by the Theatre Department and the annual Thanksgiving weekend production of "The Nutcracker" by an area ballet troupe.
Yet Tait refused to rule out the possibility of an unforeseen holdup in the cleaning process.
"Many people have been asking us when the theater will open its doors again," Tait said. "We can't answer that. But I can guarantee this: There will be no performances in Hartman Theatre until it is safe. That's our first and only priority."
As soon as the college received the results of the air sampling, EHS closed Hartman Theatre for "an indefinite length of time."
"You have to do it," Tait said of the closure. "Even though the trace of asbestos that was found was minimal, everyone involved decided we needed to err on the side of safety."
Once the presence of asbestos had been confirmed by Atlantic Testing, jurisdiction of any future matters relating to the theater was transferred from PSUC to the New York State Office of General Services, who promptly hired Delta Engineering to conduct another study. Although the resulting report from Delta stated, "there appears to be no immediate concern of exposure or contamination" from the asbestos, the consulting firm recommended the removal and replacement of the fire curtain.
In response to this suggestion, the Office of General Services hired asbestos removal contractor Warren & Panzer at the beginning of the summer. A wall-to-wall cleaning has been taking place in Hartman Theatre ever since.
"This is not a fast process," Tait explained. "Right now, the contractors are literally cleaning every single surface in that theater - the walls, the chairs, the desks, the stage, you name it. Everybody involved wants to make sure Hartman Theatre is as safe as we can possibly make it when those doors are finally re-opened. It takes time to do this the correct way."
This is too much time, for some people. With the fall semester already in full swing, Tait said many people are itching for information about when the theater will once again be safe for student and community use.
From the start, Tait said, Warren & Panzer had set mid-October as a projected finishing date. Right now, he said, progress appears to be right on schedule, allowing the theater to re-open in time for some fall performances by the Theatre Department and the annual Thanksgiving weekend production of "The Nutcracker" by an area ballet troupe.
Yet Tait refused to rule out the possibility of an unforeseen holdup in the cleaning process.
"Many people have been asking us when the theater will open its doors again," Tait said. "We can't answer that. But I can guarantee this: There will be no performances in Hartman Theatre until it is safe. That's our first and only priority."
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