Authorities: Asbestos Was Mishandled In Building

Lawsuit Accuses Owners Of Building In Pilsen
June 7, 2006

(CBS) CHICAGO Authorities have filed a lawsuit claiming that a asbestos was improperly handled in a Pilsen neighborhood commercial and office building.

The City of Chicago and the Illinois attorney general’s office filed the lawsuit against the owners of a building at 1945 S. Halsted St., accusing workers of improperly removing and disposing of asbestos-containing materials. The building is owner by the company Podmajersky Inc.

The investigation began in June of last year, when the Illinois Department of Public Health inspected a Harvey site where construction debris had allegedly been improperly discarded, and found that the debris came from buildings in the 1800 and 1900 blocks of South Halsted Street, owned or managed by Podmajersky, an attorney general’s office news release said.

he Health Department asked to inspect the Halsted Street buildings, but Podmajersky refused, the release said.

But in late September of last year, state Health Department personnel found an open dumpster full to capacity with demolition debris, the release said.

Podmajersky accompanied city Department of the Environment inspectors to the 1945 S. Halsted St. building, finding floor tiles, plaster and insulation that were removed improperly by workers who were not trained in asbestos removal, the release said.

All of the materials except the plaster turned out to contain asbestos, the release said.

The lawsuit asked for a civil penalty of $50,000 and additional penalties of $10,000 for each day the violations continued, as well other fees.

Among the facilities in the building is the Chicago Arts District, an artists’ living and studio facility that is also spread out in other buildings on that and adjacent blocks of Halsted Street, according to the organization Web site.

Source: http://cbs2chicago.com