Lawmakers will soon decide the future of an aging building in Bath, New York. The structure was once home to a county healthcare facility. On Tuesday, Steuben County lawmakers, including legislators from the Finance and AIP committees, met to tour the building.

The structure still contains asbestos, which will need to be removed throughout the ground floor of the building. Asbestos is a toxic material that was once used to make insulation, fireproofing, tiles, and automotive brake pads. It is now known to be deadly. Asbestos exposure increases a person’s chances of developing a life-threatening illness such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

There are three types of mesothelioma: pleural, pericardial and peritoneal, but the most commonly diagnosed form is pleural mesothelioma, which manifests within the lining of the lungs. If asbestos fibers are inhaled, the fibers can cling to the pleural lining for decades and may eventually form a malignancy. Individuals who may be exposed to asbestos may not exhibit any symptoms of a related disease for many years. Common mesothelioma symptoms include difficulty breathing, chronic cough and chest pain.

The future of the building is uncertain. The facility contains a large kitchen, making it ideal for preparing food for the county’s meals-on-wheels program. There are also many offices in the structure, and some people think the building could become the new home for the Department of Social Services. However, the county may have to pay out as much as $9 million to bring the building up to code. In contrast, demolishing the building could cost only around $1.9 million.

"[The building] comes with its challenges," said County Administrator Mark Alger, when asked about the possibility of renovating the building. "Certainly trying to deal with the electrical issues, heating and ventilating issues are those that are primarily of importance for reusing the building for offices." A final recommendation is expected to be made to the full legislature on July 27th.

There is no cure for mesothelioma, but oncologists nationwide, including Dr. David Sugarbaker, a Boston-based physician, continue to study the disease with the intent to find an effective cure.

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