Restoration project to exceed budget due to carcinogenic asbestos removal

In Ogdensburg, New York, the restoration of the Frederic Remington Art Museum is nearing completion. The $1.5 million dollar price tag on the renovation is more than was previously expected, and the main reason for the increase in the project’s cost was the discovery of asbestos at the facility. Early estimates for the entire project were about $1.2 million, but during work on the porch of the museum, asbestos-abatement cost an unexpected $60,000.

The removal of asbestos is costly, but very important, as exposure to asbestos has been scientifically proven to contribute to the onset of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer which manifests in less than 3,000 Americans each year. This incurable form of cancer targets the thorax, most often the lungs, abdominal tissues, and lining of the heart.

Chemo does help some patients, but many are told that they are expected to live for less than two years after being diagnosed. There is no known cure for mesothelioma.

"We’ve been letting the building tell us what comes next in terms of urgency," museum Executive Director Edward A. LaVarnway said.

"The edge of the roof of the main building, also the roof of the east wing, needs to be restored, but we’re waiting to hear…If you look at the profile, it’s quite possible there’s some bad rafters in there or something. We won’t know until we get into it, and that’ll be next year."

The museum is situated in the historic Parish Mansion, built in 1810. The asbestos-laden porch was a later addition, dating back to 1897. The museum has been housed in the mansion since the late 1920s, and currently boasts 27 layers of paint, attesting to the age of the building. LaVarnway said he expects the hardest part of the project may very well be removing these 27 layers of paint on the exterior of the house. It is hoped that the project will wrap up in 2011.