Abatement begins at Roosevelt Elementary

KEEGO HARBOR — Heart of the Lakes, a community organization dedicated to preserving Roosevelt Elementary — or at least delaying its demolition — recently gathered to save the century-old landmark, only to see abatement crews begin work a few days later.

Carrying signs that read “Save Roosevelt” and donning T-shirts emblazoned with the line “Roosevelt for Everybody,” roughly a dozen or so HOTL members gathered in front of the building Sept. 4 to protest its fate. The school is located at 2065 Cass Lake Road in Keego Harbor, part of the West Bloomfield School District.

The demonstrators were met with a chorus of horns blowing and arms waving as motorists passed by showing support. Yet early in the morning Sept. 8, HOTL member Christian Sonneville watched as workers entered the building to begin the asbestos abatement process, a necessary step before demolition to avoid contaminating the air, water and soil. Sonneville himself has a background as a structural engineer. 

“Prior to demolition, the building should be intrusively inspected,” he said. “In other words, if you need to cut through a wall to see what’s behind it, you have to do it.”

According to records with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s Air Quality Division, there are nearly 10,000 square feet of the former school being abated at a cost below $100,000. The school is about 70,000 square feet, so only a fraction of the building is being abated.

“This is a partial abatement,” Sonneville said.

The engineer would like to see all floors fully abated, along with the roof.

“If the building were demolished and the first, second and third floors were not also abated, all that non-abated asbestos — including lead — will flow into the rivers and it will contaminate the environment, and this (will result) in irreversible damage,” Sonneville said.

Sonneville is the grandfather of a former student at Roosevelt Elementary. His grandson attended the school in 2022 when the ceiling collapsed in Room 204. 

Although the room was not occupied at the time, the doors and windows of that classroom were reportedly closed. According to Sonneville and others, the materials were tested a year later and found to be asbestos. People had been allowed to go into the building without being warned of asbestos or wearing personal protection equipment, he said. 

Sonneville would like to see the district vote to increase the abatement contract and start a 100% abatement removal before any demolition, complete with a hydrogeological survey.

“Once they (the district) have done that and have a permit, they will be able to sleep with a clean mind,” Sonneville said. 

The West Bloomfield School District issued a statement on the situation. 

“The district has followed all applicable guidelines and regulations. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has been on-site multiple times. Our asbestos abatement notification was reviewed and evaluated by EGLE, and their oversight continues throughout the project,” it reads. 

“All required pre-abatement and pre-demolition testing has been completed in accordance with state and federal guidelines, and we are following all regulations and requirements associated with that permit to ensure compliance and safety. Safety is our number one priority,” it continued. “We ask that your coverage reflect that the district is operating under state-issued permits and regulatory oversight.” 

At press time, there was no response to an interview request with WBSD Superintendent Dania Bazzi.

Sonneville was a named plaintiff in the lawsuit against the West Bloomfield School District that led to a temporary restraining order, which prevented the district from demolishing the school on its original timeline. 

The case was heard before the Michigan Court of Appeals in February. The opinion that lifted the restraining order was published Aug. 7 and allows demolition to proceed.  

EGLE had not responded by press time.