Virginia Beach Municipal Government Set to Move out of Asbestos Plagued City Hall

After almost 50 years in the same building at the Municipal Center in Princess Anne, Virginia, the city of Virginia Beach is finally prepared to move its seat of government to a new City Hall, one that is free of asbestos. In fact, city employees were finally able to convince the powers that be that the time was right to make the move by highlighting the dangers the asbestos-laden insulation and floor tiles could pose to municipal workers doing the city’s business.

The City of Virginia Beach Facilities Engineer recently released a short video detailing some of the issues plaguing the half-century old structure including central heating, the electrical grid, plumbing, insulation, and how they all are hampered by asbestos-related concerns. While the asbestos in the building does not pose a threat to workers in the material’s current form, even modest repairs or alterations to some of the building’s core systems could result in a serious environmental hazard.

Were the city to attempt any repairs, the entirely building would likely need to be evacuated to ensure innocent people did not come in contact with cancer-causing asbestos. Unfortunately, there have been far too many stories of public and private sector workers developing serious health problems, particularly mesothelioma, from inhaling asbestos and other carcinogenic debris while working in buildings undergoing renovations.

Why do so Many Buildings Still Contain Asbestos?

Asbestos has not been in widespread use in construction projects for many decades since state and federal regulators finally put serious restrictions on the types of applications for which the material can be used. Until those regulations took effect, asbestos was a popular material in a number of different settings because of its low cost and heat resistant properties and ability to fit a number of different industrial, military, and commercial applications.

Manufacturers and construction companies utilized asbestos in everything from vinyl floor tiles, drywall, gypsum board, to insulation. Additionally, the military was notorious for its widespread use of asbestos in shipbuilding, particularly in engine and turbine rooms. Sadly, many brave men and women succumbed to the silent threat of asbestos while serving their country aboard Navy vessels and in Army bases around the world.

Decades after it was essentially made illegal, asbestos is still taking the lives of innocent people who developed mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer usually affecting the thin lining of tissue surrounding the lungs or abdomen. The disease can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to develop, and symptoms often go mistaken for much more benign medical conditions associated with aging.

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If you or a loved one were diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact our office to speak to one of our experienced nationwide mesothelioma attorneys about your situation. Our office can help investigate your case and determine if compensation can be sought from negligent parties to help pay for your medical treatment to help you and your family live a more comfortable life.