To clean up the site, Tebo Properties needs clean up the building as though asbestos is present or provide samples to the state showing asbestos isn’t there.
NEDERLAND, Colo. — Nearly four months after a massive fire destroyed nearly two dozen businesses in Nederland, the remains of the burned down Caribou Village Shopping Center sit behind.
Folks around town said the lack of action is frustrating.
“Yeah, it’s like a brick in your stomach every time you see it,” said Jeff Green, the owner of Very Nice Brewing. He said he can’t forget about his brewery’s former location. It’s still sitting burned and blackened at the Caribou Village Shopping Center.
“We’ve got to have it cleaned up, I mean, it’s got to happen. I think the whole town is losing its patience,” Green said.
Green and a handful of other businesses including Brightwood Music, Inkhaus Tattoo and an artist’s shop, have found a new spot across the street.
“We are at the Vault. We are taking over the space that used to be the upstairs of the bank, used to be offices and we have basically converted it into a taproom,” Green said. “I think we’ll be a nice community gathering place where you can have a beer, get a tattoo, maybe not in that order.”
Getting to this point hasn’t been easy, according to Green. Insurance denials and pushback slowed down payments but now work is moving ahead toward opening the new Very Nice Brewing spot in just a few weeks.
But across the street, the mess sits.
“It’s just not a good thing. It’s been there now since October,” Green said.
What’s left of the shopping center still belongs to Tebo Properties.
“The town and Tebo Properties have been waiting for demolition since mid-December. I mean, we’re ready to go,” said Bill Rigler, a spokesperson for Tebo Properties.
To move forward with demolition at the site, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said Tebo Properties would need to provide sampling from throughout the site showing there is no asbestos anywhere on the property. Tebo could also assume the site has asbestos and proceed with cleanup under asbestos-safe removal requirements.
Rigler said Tebo Properties chose to move forward with sampling at the site to show there isn’t asbestos. He said they’ve provided CDPHE nearly 80 samples across the site, which showed there wasn’t asbestos present.
But there have been some sites they haven’t been able to access to test due to the building damage and they’re unable to remove the materials until testing is complete.
“And unfortunately, we’re caught in this chicken and egg scenario with the state where there is some residual debris over the site that has prevented testing,” Rigler said. “As a result, we’re stuck at this impasse and we’re now trying to undertake several hundred additional new samples to provide that assurance to CDPHE.”
Michael Ogletree, senior director of Air Quality Programs with CDPHE said Tebo Properties’ path is unusual. The standard for business owners and contractors, CDPHE said, would be to hire a specialist to clean up the site assuming it has asbestos.
“Adding additional asbestos protocols is both unnecessary and adds months and months and months to the rebuilding process and at probably five times the amount of cost,” Rigler said.
Ogletree said they’ve been working closely with Tebo Properties and their contractors to move the project forward quickly.
“We went out to the site on January 23rd, and we took a look at the site based on the sampling plan that they had provided and kind of trying to figure out, OK, what additional samples would be needed and what additional site stabilization would be needed to be able to take those additional samples,” Ogletree said. “We received a plan from them yesterday, which we reviewed and gave feedback on. So, they have some additional information now that they can hopefully use to proceed to develop a plan and provide that to us.”
Ogletree said Tebo Properties still needs to apply to take additional samples at the site, which would need to be submitted to CDPHE and show no asbestos for the project to move forward.
“We’re turning around sampling plants as quickly as we can. As I mentioned, we received one yesterday and turned it around within 24 hours. So, for us, you know, providing the resources necessary to be able to clean up that side is something that’s first and foremost in our minds,” Ogletree said.
In Nederland, people in town and business owners say they want to see the cleanup move forward and fast so the community can finally move forward after the fire.
“Right now, we’re transitioning from a lot of the rubble of the past and getting up to where we need to be to go forward,” Green said. “Until that clean up happens, the entire town is going to be limping along.”
Rigler said once they’ve got the go ahead from the state, Tebo Properties is ready to move quickly on demolition and soon after, construction of a new facility to replace Caribou Village Shopping Center. They’re hopeful if all goes well, they could start work this spring or summer on the new building.
