University High chemistry lab renovations complicated by asbestos

Photo courtesy of University High School

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State University Board of Trustees has approved a resolution to help fund renovations for University High School’s (U-High) chemistry lab, but the plans have been complicated by the discovery of asbestos in the floors.

The current chemistry lab, which hasn’t been renovated since the school was built in 1965, is used daily by many of the school’s students. According to U-High Principal Andrea Markert, the lab is in a state of disrepair.

“We have a lot of parts of the lab that don’t work anymore,” Markert said. “A lot of the sinks and lines don’t work anymore. It’s also set up from the ‘60s, so it’s not necessarily as conducive to how students learn now.”

U-High has been raising money for this renovation for the past four years, according to Markert, mostly sourced from parents of students. The school successfully raised around $300,000 dollars for the renovation with the expected cost of the renovation being around $530,000. The difference was planned to be handled by the school district, but the asbestos may bring additional costs.

“When we want to move the piping and the gas lines and everything in the chemistry lab, there’s actually asbestos in the flooring area underneath the chemistry lab,” Markert said. “Because we’re a K-12 school, the asbestos abatement is more rigorous than it would be if we weren’t a K-12 school.”

Asbestos abatement, or the state-outlined process for dealing with asbestos, has a higher standard in schools than in other buildings.

The future of the renovations is still uncertain, but Markert is still optimistic about the potential improvements.

“We are really excited if we’re able to get it done,” Markert said. “Because our lab is definitely the oldest one of all the high schools in the area.”