Cleanup starts at Caribou Village after asbestos delays
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Workers clean the debris site at the Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland. Photo: Mitchell Byars/Axios Boulder
Crews have begun clearing debris from Nederland's fire-damaged Caribou Village Shopping Center under state-mandated asbestos safety protocols.
Why it matters: The cleanup marks a key step toward rebuilding a central economic and cultural hub for the Colorado mountain town after months of delays.
Driving the news: Parking lot cleanup is the first step.
- Bill Rigler, spokesperson for landowner Tebo Properties, told us that once the lot's debris is cleared, crews will move on to demolishing the main structure.
Yes, but: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment determined the site must be treated as if asbestos is present.
- Rigler said that the mall was constructed after asbestos was banned in most materials and that testing on the site was negative for the substance.
- But inspectors said certain parts of the structure were not safe enough for testing, so the state approved a stabilization plan to improve access.
- CDPHE officials said a contractor put tested and untested materials in the same piles during the stabilization process, rendering further sampling non-viable.
Between the lines: Zach Aedo, a spokesperson with CDPHE, said since testing could not reliably rule out the presence of asbestos, the final work plan "includes precautions to protect Nederland residents and workers from potential exposure."
- As part of the extra work, debris must be hosed down and transported in wrapped truckloads by a specially trained asbestos abatement team.
- Aedo said about 50 loads had already been moved as of Tuesday.
What they're saying: "It's been six months since that devastating fire, and to finally have clearance of the debris could not be better news for the business owners or for the town," Rigler said.
- "It's the first real material step toward rebuilding."
What's next: Business owners cannot inspect the site themselves, Rigler said, but Tebo Properties reached an agreement with the state to have crews watch for valuable and sentimental possessions lost in the rubble.
- All of the business owners gave crews a list of items to watch for, and recovered property will undergo a special decontamination process before being returned.
- Rigler said the entire process is expected to take six to eight weeks.