There’s Something Happening Here

It’s a dirty job, but … a different construction niche

Older housing and commercial buildings in southwest and central Virginia that are prime targets for renovation often come with baggage: they may be full of asbestos installed in the past to retard the spread of fire, or leadbased paint may have been used for interior walls and ceilings. Both are bad news.

That’s where family owned Strahle Construction comes in, carving out its special niche since 1984 from Lynchburg to Roanoke and down to Bristol. The family-owned company based in Goodview also works with the City of Roanoke’s Lead Safe program when another round of HUD funding lets his crews remove lead paint chips and lead dust from houses owned or rented by a lower-income Roanokers who must meet eligibility guidelines, have a child age 5 or under living there – or visiting regularly.

The home must be pre-1978 as well, when lead based paint was still used before its potential to cause brain damage, behavioral problems and to stunt growth was discovered. The very young are the most vulnerable. Intact lead-painted surfaces that are not chipped or turning to dust due to contact with a friction surface can remain as is. Windows often have to be replaced where lead has leached into the wood.

Brian Meadows is the Vice President/Asbestos Supervisor/Safety Compliance Officer for Strahle. On a recent Lead Safe Roanoke project in a southeast neighborhood he said they’ve done “hundreds and hundreds” of lead abatement projects over the past decade. His crews are licensed, undergo extensive training, must wear hazard suits and masks while removing lead dust and chips before repainting. Meadows said there is a 30-to-1 return on the dollars spent to make houses lead safe: fewer medical issues and crimes committed down the road for those impacted physically or mentally by lead paint.

An assessment company will test - by first wiping a surface with a cloth - before Strahle crews and Lead Safe Roanoke (the program leaders work for the city) get involved; with a plan of attack following the test results. Anything 10 micrograms or over per square foot is a fail: “if you take an Equal packet and distribute it evenly throughout this house it fails the clearance,” said Meadows.

Gene Marrano

There ’s somet hing happen ing here

By Gene Marrano

Executive Summary: Strahle Construction tackles the tough jobs on environmental cleanups.