Pedestrians in Columbia may have noticed that a recent project to demolish a number of mobile homes near the GM&O Heritage Trail in the 500 block of South Main Street ended almost as soon as it began.

While several trailers and mobile homes have already been removed, the demolition project that began in mid-September was halted last week due to a failure to inspect the aging structures for asbestos.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Public Information Officer Kim Biggs confirmed with the Republic-Times that the owners of the property did not perform required asbestos testing prior to beginning work, adding the project will not commence until necessary steps have been taken to ensure public safety.

While there has not been a confirmation of asbestos contamination on the lot at 548 S. Main Street, Biggs told the Republic-Times via email on Tuesday that “the facilities will be inspected by an asbestos inspector prior to demolition resuming.”

Airborne asbestos fibers, if inhaled, result in severe lung damage and cause conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mesothelioma and lung cancer.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added asbestos to its list of regulated air toxins in the mid-1970s.

The Asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants were revised in 1990, allowing more strict control of projects potentially involving asbestos. 

Projects performed within Illinois municipalities are beholden to state and federal guidelines which require asbestos testing to be conducted prior to the demolition of any public or commercial structures.

Private residences are generally exempt from asbestos inspection prior to demolition, though housing units with four or more units or mobile home lots containing four or more structures are not exempt.  

IEPA asbestos inspector Peter Brusky offered clarification via an email shared with the Republic-Times.

“As far as the Asbestos NESHAP is concerned, whether it is a mobile home or standard construction home, one would be considered a single family residential and is often (but not always) exempt from that regulation, but multiple homes at a single site and/or a single project would be considered an installation and are subject to the inspection, abatement and notification requirements of the regulation,” Brusky wrote.

Abatement and notification of neighboring property owners would only be necessary if asbestos is discovered in the structures slated for demolition.

Columbia City Administrator Doug Brimm explained the obligation for getting an asbestos inspection rests solely on the property owner.

“The Illinois EPA is the delegated authority for enforcing the (NESHAP), which includes regulations for demolition and renovation of structures,” Brimm wrote in an email to the Republic-Times. “The city cannot issue permits or enforce compliance for asbestos-related activities as no such provisions exist within city code. The city’s position is that all city-enforced regulations have been satisfied.”

Brimm also noted that, as of Friday, the City of Columbia had not been notified by the IEPA of a failure to comply with inspection regulations.

The parcel is owned by Main Street Villas LLC. The corporation was involuntarily dissolved on Aug. 8, although it still owns the property.

The listed agent for this LLC is Grant Frierdich, a Columbia developer who has previously been involved with other contracting businesses along with family members Paul Frierdich and Adam Frierdich, sharing a business address of 323 N. Main Street in Columbia.

The demolition permit, issued by Columbia on Sept. 15, lists Paul Frierdich as the property owner, Grant Frierdich as the applicant and Adam Frierdich as the “excavator,” or the person performing the work.

During the upcoming inspection, Biggs said “the inspector will also test any previous demolition areas for asbestos contamination,” which would also include the disposal site of the previously demolished trailers. 

“The owner will need to submit necessary documentation to the Illinois EPA prior to the future demolition,” Biggs concluded.

If asbestos is found, a licensed asbestos abatement company would need to be contacted to identify and remove asbestos-containing materials before demolition begins.

The presence of asbestos would likely lead to more problems for the property owners, as they may be subject to legal action of neighboring property owners and pedestrians in the area who may have been unknowingly exposed to asbestos.

A date for the asbestos inspection was not available as of press time.

It is also not known what future plans are in place for the lot once demolition is completed.

The City of Columbia had previously expressed interest in the property in recent years.

A proposed TIF or business district was discussed during a 2021 council meeting for which developers approached the city to bring an 8,000 square foot commercial/residential development to that area. 

The project eventually fell through because an agreement could not be reached with the tenants at that time for relocation.