A 77 year old Texan has purchased a former helium plant that some say may be laced with asbestos and lead paint. Chuck Daniels won the property at an auction held earlier this week. For the princely sum of $400,000, Mr. Daniels is now the proud owner of the sprawling 18-acre, 15-building complex.
"I’m not sure yet what to do with it," he said. "Maybe use it to store old boats or something."
The property was appraised at $499,631. 12 bidders fought over the property, including one online bidder. However, Daniels came out on top. The U.S. Government Services Administration had declared in August of 2007 that the former helium plant was surplus government property, due to "excessive deterioration."
The Amarillo Helium Plant refined nearly all of the world’s helium until 1943, when a neighboring plant opened to help provide gas for the war effort. In fact, Amarillo was once nicknamed the Helium Capital of the World. Congress later privatized the helium plant, and then the process of liquidating the plant began in 1998, when a multi-phased shutdown was initiated.
Ben Whittenburg is a senior adviser for McCartt & Associates, the Amarillo realty firm hired to market the old helium plant. He cautions that Mr. Daniels newest investment may have some drawbacks. Whittenburg says it is possible that the property contains asbestos and lead-based paint.
Asbestos can cause mesothelioma, and lead paint can also pose a health risk. If Daniels ever hopes to make the plants safe for people to live or work in, these environmental toxins would need to be dealt with first.