Rialto Issues Update On Asbestos In Theater's Basement

(The following edited press release is from Shane Richards, Rialto Square Theatre's diirector of hospitality & marketing services.)

JOLIET — The Rialto Square Theatre issued a press release on Friday stating that it has notified its tenants that the building will be closed until the results of testing can be conducted. It is expected that testing will be done this weekend, with test results available by Tuesday.

Wade Welsh, executive director for the Rialto, stated the Rialto is working together with the IEPA to ensure a safe and timely reopening.

“We take this matter seriously and have taken the necessary steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff and guests. We have been in regular contact with the IEPA and have complied with their recommendations,” added Welsh.

According to the Rialto:

On July 25, the Will County Metropolitan Exhibition and Auditorium Authority which oversees the Rialto, received an email from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency IEPA concerning the ongoing asbestos removal at the Rialto, which was being conducted by a State certified asbestos removal company.

The theater was cited for a violation made by the contractor working in the theater’s basement on the asbestos abatement project. As a result of the notification, the Rialto immediately hired a third-party Illinois Department of Public Health Licensed Asbestos Project Manager to develop a plan for cleaning the work site where the violation occurred. The basement where the violation occurred along with the theater on the first floor remained closed to the public during ongoing discussions concerning cleanup.

During an extensive meeting with the IEPA on August 22, the Rialto learned that, in addition to the basement and first floor, the IEPA wanted to ensure no other areas of the building were affected by the subcontractor’s violation.

According to Friday's press release, Welsh indicated that the Rialto has provided information to the IEPA which demonstrated that the heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for the first floor, which contains the auditorium and the main hallway, and the ticketing area, do not share air with the basement.

“The IEPA was provided with air samples collected at the Rialto and analyzed by an accredited laboratory showing fiber level counts below the appropriate clearance standard required by the agency," explained Welsh. “Essentially, the tests show the air in the Rialto is cleaner than what governmental standards require.”

As a result of the meeting on Thursday, it is believed the IEPA and Rialto are on their way to arriving at a cleanup plan that will allow the theater to open by its first scheduled show in September, Richards shared in the Rialto's press release.