Building passes asbestos testing

It was designed to be a seven-story building.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County commissioners can breathe easier -- literally -- about asbestos at the Park-Porter building.
The downtown building that commissioners picked to house the Job and Family Services and One Stop job training offices appears to have passed its asbestos inspection.
One more inspection is to occur today.
"There is no problem with Park-Porter with asbestos," said David Zofko, the county's chief building official.
Zofko will walk through Park-Porter with the building's representative, Kurt W. Sauer, today to conduct an inspection of walls for cracks or other indications that a full structural analysis needs to be done.
Final step
Either today's walk-through or a structural analysis would be the final step before commissioners would be able to complete the building's purchase, Zofko said.
Zofko said he was surprised the building passed the asbestos test so well, but apparently the asbestos was removed the last time it was renovated in 1971. It was around that time that the Environmental Protection Agency was beginning to understand the dangers of asbestos and warning people against its use.
He said asbestos-laden products were generally used in construction materials in buildings built in the 1920s, when Park-Porter was constructed, so it probably had these items at one time.
Original design
Meanwhile, Zofko said he has recently learned that the building, which is at the corner of Park Avenue and Porter Street, was originally designed to be a seven-story building, even though it contains only three floors on top of its basement.
He said this could be significant if county officials decide to add an additional floor, or floors. He noted that the roof and air-conditioning units are slated for replacement, which would be a convenient time to add floors.
He said a building constructed to support seven floors has a stronger foundation.
Commissioner James Tsagaris said he likes the idea of moving four county departments there at some point from the Wean Building across the street. The Wean Building is in need of many repairs, he said.
In November, commissioners chose Park-Porter over two other buildings. They tentatively agreed to pay $699,500 for the building and keep the 250 employees working downtown for the J & amp;FS, One-Stop and Child Support Enforcement Agency.
CSEA, commissioners said, could stay in its present location in the Stone Building on High Street. The deal to purchase Park-Porter was contingent upon the building's passing an asbestos test and other inspections.
runyan@vindy.com