October 16, 2019 10:40 a.m.
The move-in of some athletic students at Umpqua Community College, to the Flegel Center in Roseburg has been delayed after lead dust was found.
A release from UCC said the school has received the outcome of the testing that was recently done at the former armory in downtown Roseburg. The release said following reports that the Oregon Military Department closed indoor firing ranges at Oregon armories in 2014 due to lead dust contamination, the college asked the owner of the Flegel Center to conduct additional testing for any presence of lead dust. The release said the owner responded immediately and complied.
The Flegel Center closed as an armory in 1977, has been renovated a number of times, and been used for a variety of business purposes over the years. The college recently identified the building as a housing facility to accommodate the continued growth of its athletics program. The release said that after obtaining the necessary permits from the City of Roseburg, UCC entered into an agreement with the building’s owner as a lessee. The building was tested for asbestos and lead-based paint per code requirements. All initial testing came back as satisfactory and the school accepted the results. The release said renovation work has taken place over the past several weeks.
Last week, samples were taken from all three floors of the building. Two small storage rooms on the first floor, both of which had been deemed as non-living quarters, tested positive for low levels of lead dust. The rooms have been sealed off and the contractor is working on abatement. After that is complete, the areas will be retested according to the release.
UCC President, Doctor Debra Thatcher said “safety for our students is our number one priority”. She said the contractor on the project has been responsive and cooperative throughout the entire process.
The release said the contractor informed UCC that it is not uncommon to find these types of environmental challenges in old buildings and assured school officials that certified, licensed professionals are being hired to complete the mitigation. As the lessee of the Flegel Center, UCC is not responsible for the testing or the abatement, according to the release.
The Flegel Center is on the corner of Southeast Oak and Southeast Kane Streets.