State approves enhanced environmental testing for Central State buildings before renovation or demolition

The State Controlling Board approved contracting for enhanced environmental assessments at Central State buildings to gather detailed information about hazardous materials before larger renovation or demolition decisions are made.

A. J. Thomas, representing the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, said the studies go beyond prior building assessments and will collect about 1,100 samples from buildings constructed before 1981 to check for hazardous materials such as lead‑based paint, mold and groundwater contamination. "These are enhanced environmental studies...we are contracted for about 1,100 different samples to be taken throughout the individual buildings," Thomas said.

Senators questioned why an environmental assessment was not completed before some earlier renovation work and cited concern that prior work may have proceeded without the full environmental sampling. Thomas acknowledged different contractors handled prior building assessments and that the environmental study required specialized contract work. He offered to provide further timing and process information to members.

The board approved the enhanced environmental studies to inform future decisions about renovating or demolishing Central State buildings.