Shopping center businesses can't operate due to asbestos

Joliet, IL - Concerns over the possible risk of asbestos exposure has led state health officials to seal off a section of the Marycrest Shopping Center.

On Wednesday, renovation work on the middle section of the shopping center was brought to a stop when state officials suspected that proper asbestos safety procedures were not being implemented during the removal of the flooring.

Marycrest, built in the 1950s, only has half of its stores occupied at the moment after many businesses were ordered to close due to the asbestos. The center's new owner, RMS Properties of Schaumburg, is currently having it renovated.

The city's director of inspectional services, David Mackley, said a state inspector noticed that workers were removing tiles in an office area in the center of the shopping center where asbestos had been found earlier. About a month ago, workers who were removing carpet from the office accidently pulled up the floor tiles as well.

Inspectors believed the tile was the type that characteristically was glued to the floor with an asbestos-containing adhesive. Work was stopped, and officials from the Illinois Department of Public Health were called in to conduct tests to verify the presence of asbestos in the floor tiles. The test results confirmed that the tiles did contain the cancer-causing material.

Some of the employees who work in the Marycrest offices said they plan to visit their doctors to discuss their possible exposure.

One secretary said during the floor removal, gas had been released and the halls were filled with smoke. She reported that at one point, everyone in the office was complaining about feeling sick.

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