The former Denny’s restaurant on Heron Street in Aberdeen, being remodeled so it can be reopened, has received a red-tag order, halting work pending the results of asbestos testing.
A pile of roof tiles lies in the chain link fence east of and next to the building. The order is signed by Aberdeen Building Inspector Matt Anglesey. Test results for asbestos are not due back until later this week or next. Anglesey said the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency called him last Tuesday and asked that a red tag be put up anyway until tests came back. Anglesey worded it strongly he said to make sure all work ceased, to keep workers and visitors safe since “we don’t know if the tests will come back hot,” he said.
The red tag, which states work must stop until “a demolition permit has been issued by ORCAA, and all asbestos has been properly removed.,” is dated last Wednesday, May 28, and is more of a precautionary measure, Anglesey said.
Prashant Sharan, the district manager for the new owner of the Denny’s, said Monday he is aware of the red tag. “The asbestos may be on the roof. We just bought the building so we didn’t know anything about this,” he said.
“The city gave us a go ahead, then another agency told us to stop,” Sharan said. The contractor also had not obtained a demolition permit from the clean air agency, Anglesey said.
Last Tuesday, Mike Shults, air quality specialist at ORCAA, told The Daily World the agency would get involved if suspected material become airborne as is evident by the pile of what appears to be tiles and roofing materials next to the fence, abutting the east side of the building.
Shults said if suspect materials are disturbed or “there is a health hazard on the sidewalk or someplace … we move to the next step.” He also said test results were due back this week or next.
While the air agency is in charge of airborne contamination, the state Department of Labor &Industry governs contamination that could threaten the health of workers and is also investigating, Shults said.
L&I’s offices are “right across the street” and they may have seen the possible contamination, Shults said.
Shults opened the file on May 6 when he heard from L&I about worker safety concerns and whether material removal was being properly conducted. Anglesey said L&I was also concerned about vinyl tiles in the entryway.
Messages left for L&I concerning possible contamination were not returned.
“If the tests come back negative, then the opening is the 27th of July,” Sharan said. If positive, “then there is no tomorrow.” Sharan explained, “I can’t be specific about what the date might be, the whole roof will have to be changed.” He estimated that could delay opening until late August or early September.
The Denny’s is the 20th in the state owned by Ajay Keshap, who owns a number of franchises around the country. The store at 418 W. Heron St. was previously a Denny’s, then an America’s Diner, and has been closed a few years. Keshap has pledged to completely overall and modernize it. Sharan confirmed those plans Monday.
Erin Hart, 360-537-3932, ehart@thedailyworld.com. Twitter: @DW_Erin
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