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Re: Archives renovation



Here at Texas A&M we did a total renovation of a 1930 library building to house archives and special collections.  It took a great deal longer than it was originally expected to take for a variety of reasons.  The major reason is that the building was originally constructed with a stack tower in which the stacks of each floor (except for the top one, of course) supported the stacks and floors of the levels above.  Those were all removed and fixed floors capable of supporting compact shelving were installed.  It was determined that those old shelving units installed at various times between 1930 and and 1960 were all painted with lead based paint.  I believe some of the original walls were also painted with lead based paint.  Thus lead paint abatement was deemed necessary.  That was an unexpected event and took a separate bidding process and cost a few hundred thousand dollars and several months of delay.  If your project contains any possibility of lead paint abatement and you have not already factored that in your timing may not be accurate.
The existence of asbestos (although in only small quantities) in the air conditioning system installed in the 1960s was already known, and asbestos abatement was factored in in the original plans.
 

Charles R. Schultz, CA
Professor and Clements Archivist
Cushing Library
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX  77843-5000
c-schultz@tamu.edu
409-862-1555
FAX 409-845-1441

State-of-the-art automation will never beat the wastebasket 
when it comes to speeding up efficiency in the office.
Ann Landers Gem of the Day, July 27, 1994

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