CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - Extensive asbestos abatement is causing some delays in the demolition of the old Cloverleaf Mall in Chesterfield.
In fact, half of the building is still standing.
However, developers told CBS 6 News' Shelby Brown that the demolition is on schedule, but that the abatement is taking longer than expected.
A representative from Crosland Southeast said all of the asbestos must be removed before the building can be torn down.
A spokesperson said crews knew they would have to deal with some asbestos, but that there is much more of the substance in the building’s west wing, which housed the old J.C. Penny store, than they anticipated.
Once the rest of the abatement is completed by mid-February, the final part of the mall is slated to be torn down by mid to late April.
Crews are also recycling as much concrete, brick and block from the building as possible using a special crushing area behind the old mall.
Workers separate the steel and concrete, which is crushed into a gravel-like material. That will later be used as a street base when crews construct the roads at the site.
“I kind of thought it would be torn down by now," said Renata Edler. "But, I guess in the process of development, things take a little while. I understand that.”
Edler, a faithful shopper at Cloverleaf Mall, said she will always have great memories of the mall, but is excited about what’s to come.
A new, 123,000-square-foot Kroger anchor store will soon go up in the area of the mall that has already been demolished. That store is expected to open in late 2012.
The Stonebridge project will be a mixed use, retail, office and residential development .
