Work has resumed on the burned out businesses on the Newberry square.
The City of Newberry purchased the buildings facing the square that were damaged by fire in August.
After purchasing the three buildings on Caldwell Street that face the square for $65,000, the project was bid out and work started.
But as news spread about the city gutting the buildings and removing the burned remains, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control halted the work to do an environmental study.
It was found that the material contained asbestos.
The finding has resulted in the city having to take the material out of the county to a landfill that will be sealed. Also, huge plastic bags are lining the trash dumpsters that the materials are being hauled away in.
Once the debris has been cleaned out of the two stores, engineers will evaluate the stabilization of the building and look at re-engineering the buildings.
The city will then work to have the buildings dried in.
Newberry City Manager Jeff Shacker says that once the buildings are dried in the city plans on getting a developer to purchase them.
It is hoped that the damaged buildings will be occupied by new tenants.
Since purchasing the buildings, the city has turned the buildings over to the Newberry Opera House.
City leaders are also working on a plan to update the look of the Main Street business district through new plantings of trees, greenery and new traffic signals.
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