State Health Inspectors Halt Chicago Landmark Building Renovation
By Alison Gonzalez
Published on August 13, 2007
Health inspectors issued an emergency stop-work order for remodeling efforts on nine floors of the Pittsfield Building, which was Chicago’s tallest skyscraper in 1927 and now houses various physician practices and other businesses.
Floors 13 through 21 were sealed off, and business owners on those floors have not been allowed to return to work since. The rest of the building remains open.
Melaney Arnold, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Public Health, said asbestos-containing materials were discovered during renovation, adding that the agency's main concern is the health of the others in the 38-story building.
Business tenants who were forced to leave the building have expressed concerned about the health hazards of asbestos exposure, including a rare but fatal form of lung cancer called mesothelioma. One tenant said storage areas on the building's evacuated floors were so filled with dust that she had to wear a protective mask while getting her belongings.
According to state regulations, building owners must perform proper asbestos inspections before any type of renovation work begins. However, a state inspection wasn’t performed on the Pittsfield Building.
The building’s owner is currently working on a cleanup plan so that the floors can be reopened. The health department will take air samples once cleanup is completed.
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