Plans to Demolish Contaminated Galveston, TX Brewery Site Stalled Because of Asbestos, PCB Contamination Issues

For decades, elected officials in Galveston, TX have been looking for a resolution to the plighted Falstaff Brewery site. The building is known to be contaminated with asbestos, and the soil at the site is contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), both known environmental carcinogens.

The 100+ year old building has been vacant for over 25 years. Members of the Galveston City Council are in agreement that the city needs to pursue legal remedies in order to require the property owners to demolish the building. If the city’s building standards commission can determine the building is unsafe, or if the contaminated property is designated as being an eminent threat to public safety and welfare, the city could issue a demolition demand letter to the owners of the property.

Other options to remediate the site have been discussed, including a plan for the city to purchase the property and move forward with the remediation and demolition. The current estimates for the purchase and demolition are $5 million, with additional costs for the environmental cleanup of the area.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause serious illnesses such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer or asbestosis.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos illness, contact our lawyers today for a free review of your case. A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.