p>In the aptly named city of Parchment, Michigan, work on demolishing the area’s vacant paper mill buildings has been delayed until the upcoming spring season. Despite the delay, however, city officials are hopeful that redevelopment of that area will be a boon to the local economy. According to City Manager Dennis Durham, the delays have been attributed to the need for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to sign off on work plans.

“I’m comfortable this project is going to move forward with breakneck speed over the next six months,” he said.

Asbestos removal will be needed at the site. Asbestos removal is required by law prior to demolition in order to prevent the occurrence of airborne asbestos fibers. Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and it is well known that asbestos exposure has been conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.

Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, but the cancer remains incurable. However, chemo and other mesothelioma treatments can help some patients. Still, it seems that the majority of patients lose their battle with this form of cancer in less than two years following diagnosis.

The buildings in question were once home to the Crown Vantage Paper Co., and were vacated in 2000. Jeff Kroll, senior real estate manager for Frontier Renewal and project manager for the mill-property redevelopment, added:

“We’re very excited about 2010 and we’re very excited about the whole project. We need to get people building on the site, living on the site and shopping on the site…Getting vertical construction on the property is the real catalyst that is going to get this project steamrolling all the way through.”

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