photo by Jerry Summers
Roses to:
The national development company that purchased the Chattanooga Bank Building (CBB) at 736 Broad St., to build a boutique hotel on 11 floors is to be commended for its efforts in preserving a historic structure that was constructed in 1927 and now will be saved from demolition. This is unlike Cameron Hill in the 1950s, etc. and the continued deterioration of the once famous Patten Hotel. It should be a good addition to Downtown Choo Choo City.
Onions to:
The asbestos removal company that has left the premises and gone to another foreign site. There are a few facts that are documented and should be distributed to the public about the work of the foreign asbestos removal subcontractor company as it applies to some of its on the ground employees, and passing pedestrians at 8th and Broad Street of the asbestos dust clouds.
The roofers across the street who were replacing the top of the equally historic Elkins Building (originally named the Milton Building, that was erected in 1890 by famed architect Samuel Patton, also got a good dose of the toxic cancer-causing dust.
A few facts to consider:
1. The removal of the asbestos from the inside of the CBB was carried out by employees clad in respirator clothing that hopefully protected them during the removal of the deadly dust;
2. The laborers on the ground who were responsible for diverting the asbestos material from a wooden chute (11 stories of residue) into metal waste bins for removal did not all wear a mask or other protective material against inhaling the emission fumes (photos available). (Remember: breathing asbestos is not like a one-time bullet shot to the head. The cumulative effect of exposure repeatedly and over a period of time is generally the cause of health problems. Also, don’t accept the blanket explanation by any physician that summarily blames a smoking history for your breathing problem or cancer;
3. The laborers exposed to the chute asbestos have probably moved onto other removal jobs in the Scenic City or other towns/cities;
4. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has only in March 2024 finally banned the last form of asbestos used in the United States (Chrysotile) that was installed over the years and allegedly still kills 40,000 workers exposed yearly in the USA.
Why it took #4 this long to ban this deadly form of asbestos is part of the lobbying history in our Nation’s Capitol. Canada finally withdrew its support for use of Chrysotile (white asbestos) in 2012. Australia and many other countries and worldwide health organizations have done the same! Chattanooga has been identified as having at least 58 industrial sites containing toxic substances that have been left over from our history of being an industrial manufacturing giant for over 100 years. The safe and complete removal of those materials should be strictly monitored and supervised by governmental and independent agencies to ensure that Chattanooga will not only be one of the “best mid-sized communities in America” but also one of the safest environmentally!)
The new hotel chain at 736 Broad St. is welcomed to Gig City. The sloppy and dangerous asbestos exposure to the aforementioned groups of individuals, etc. is not.