The historic Broughal Middle School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania will soon be torn down, unless the school can find a buyer. Starting on Monday, a five-week asbestos abatement project will commence. The abatement is the initial step in the demolition of the historic building, which was built in 1915. Asbestos can be dangerous if it becomes airborne.
If inhaled, asbestos may cause lung cancer or mesothelioma. Because the school will be demolished and not renovated, the teams conducting the asbestos abatement will not work with any regard to preserving the interior of the school. "They will go in there and literally attack it," Superintendent Joseph Lewis said.
The Bethlehem Area School District will tear down the school in order to make way for sports fields. But many locals are up in arms about the plan to demolish the school. Critics of the plan argue that not only will the district be destroying a historic building, but the athletic fields that will be installed at the site will be useless, as they are not regulation size.
"You are exposing yourself to a lot of risk for no good reason," Bethlehem resident Bill Scheirer told the board. Superintendent Lewis assured residents that the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association had promised that the fields would be allowed to host games.
The total cost of the project, including asbestos abatement, demolition and field construction, will cost $3.6 million. In contrast, restoration of the building would cost $13 million. The school may offer the property to nearby Lehigh University in an effort to save the historic building. District Solicitor Don Spry thinks that the school does not have much hope for salvation, saying, "It is going to be costly both by litigation by the contractors and the commonwealth."