The Boettcher East demolition, which included removal of small amounts of asbestos, is expected to be completed next week.

Recyclable materials and excess matter from the flattened building will go to BFI/Allied Waste in Commerce City, according to Mark Rodgers, university architect. The cleared land, across the street from Johnson-McFarlane Residence Hall, will be landscaped into a new university green.

DU has agreed to conduct a design forum to generate additional ideas on how to utilize the new empty space. The materials for the green will be transported to campus as soon as the design proposals have been reviewed with the chancellor, said Rodgers.

Students are excited about the new green.

“I feel good about it. I think it will be much more visually appealing and environmentally friendly,” said sophomore Annie Zuckerman.

Rodgers said the debris from the demolition will be culled for recycling before the green is built.

“One of the items we had hoped to salvage and use for stock repair on the east building façade was the ‘Mosaic’ panels,” Rogers said.

Asbestos is making it difficult to separate out and recycle materials, said Rodgers.

“The building did have asbestos used in the construction. The concrete has some amount of asbestos in it and so it cannot be recycled cost effectively,” said Rodgers.

Rodgers said all the workers have been taking safety precautions when dealing with asbestos because it can easily break apart. Workers have controlled asbestos from becoming airborne, and therefore breathable.

“There was some left within the concrete matrix,” said Rodgers. “Depending on the percentage remaining we follow the regulations as to how it can be disposed,” said Rodgers.

During demolition, workers have been hosing down the materials to prevent dust and other particles from being emitted.