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Questions about potential asbestos and mold at the long-vacant building at 231-237 Pennsylvania Avenue West were raised during Wednesday's Warren Redevelopment Authority meeting, where members clarified that environmental testing and mitigation will be handled by the contractor awarded the demolition project.
The discussion followed a letter from Warren resident Ron Peterson, who asked the authority to explain how asbestos and mold concerns at the property would be addressed and when related inspection reports and mitigation plans would be available for public review.
In his correspondence, Peterson requested that his letter be read aloud at the meeting. He said his concerns about possible asbestos on the building's rooftop stemmed from a 2025 conversation with City Manager Mike Holtz, who he said disclosed the presence of asbestos.
Peterson asked the authority to identify the independent company or professional who would conduct asbestos inspections and testing on both the interior and rooftop of the structure. He also requested information about the plans for addressing mold inside the building.
He also asked when inspection and testing documents, including information about the rooftop and proposed mitigation plans, would be made available to the public.
"As a father, my job is to keep my family safe," Peterson wrote. "Your job as city leaders is to keep the community safe."
During the meeting, authority members explained that the RDA would not be hiring a separate environmental testing company. Instead, responsibility for asbestos testing and mold-related work would fall to the contractor selected for the demolition project.
Codes and Planning Director Randall Rossey said contractors submitting bids had been made aware of the potential presence and impact of asbestos at the property.
The discussion also clarified that environmental inspection and mitigation documentation would not be available through the demolition process until a contract is awarded and the contractor begins its work.
"I just wanted to make sure that it was clear that we have nothing to do," said RDA chair Gary Sawtelle. "We are not contracting an independent testing company. It is on the contractor who is awarded the bid."
The comments come as the authority seeks new bids to demolish the long-vacant downtown property. The project includes demolition of the existing buildings, asbestos abatement, debris disposal at a Pennsylvania DEP-permitted facility, and disconnection of existing utility services.
The authority established a Nov. 12 deadline for sealed demolition bids to be submitted to the City of Warren Municipal Building.
The latest bidding process follows months of debate over the property’s future, including discussions with the Warren Heritage Community Alliance, which proposed redeveloping the site as the Warren Marketplace, a community-focused destination intended to attract businesses and activity to downtown Warren.
In August, the authority unanimously rejected a revised proposal from the alliance after members determined that the group’s refusal to accept a required $200,000 developer’s bond amounted to rejection of the authority’s overall offer. The board subsequently voted unanimously to seek new demolition bids.
In June, the authority declined to award a demolition contract after residents and alliance representatives urged members to reconsider demolition and explore preservation options. At the time, City Engineer Chad Yurisic recommended awarding a base demolition contract of $130,350 to Fox and Sons Excavating, identified as the lowest bidder.
That contract was not awarded following public comment and board discussion, allowing additional negotiations over the property’s future.