The Johnson County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a nearly $49,000 agreement Thursday for the removal of asbestos at Chatham Oaks, a residential care facility that provides long-term housing for adults with chronic mental illness or disabilities located at 4515 Melrose Ave. in Iowa City. 

Asbestos is a heat-resistant mineral commonly used in building materials that can cause serious lung diseases, such as cancer, when its fibers are inhaled. 

The project will remove asbestos from the dining room and kitchen areas of the facility, which were closed earlier this summer due to roof leaks. 

The cost is set at $48,570, covered by budgeted funds from the board’s approved projects line.

Chatham Oaks was built in 1966 and is leased to AbbeHealth Services under a 50-year agreement that runs through 2061. 

While the lease makes the tenant responsible for repairs and maintenance, the board has stepped in for major projects in recent years, including a $187,000 chiller replacement in 2021 and a $272,782 roof replacement in 2023.

A countywide facility audit gave Chatham Oaks a Facility Condition Index score of 90.8, well above the 60 threshold, indicating a building is more suited for being torn down than renovated.

Deferred maintenance at the site is estimated at nearly $5 million. The asbestos abatement work will allow AbbeHealth to move forward on repairing and reopening the affected spaces for residents.

The board acknowledged the deteriorating state of the building made clear by challenges such as the roof and chiller replacement at their Sept. 3 work session, but opted to only address the immediate health and safety concerns posed by the asbestos. 

The board asked Chatham Oaks to return with a six month report at the Sept. 3 session to better understand the condition of the building.