The AU-owned house at 4825 Glenbrook Rd. in Spring Valley is scheduled for demolition in May.
The Army Corps of Engineers (USCAE) said it expects the work to be completed by the end of 2013 and will turn the property back over to AU.
Munitions and debris, in burial pits left by the 1917-1918 American University Experiment Station research for World War I weapons, were discovered on the residential property in 1999, according to USCAE reports.
The hazardous remnants harmed some residents of the Spring Valley neighborhood, which lead to a lawsuit filed against the University in 2004, according to a March 22 WTOP 105.5 article.
AU leased the rights to excavate the property for toxic waste to USCAE in 2007, according to Brenda Barber, USCAE project manager for 4825 Glenbrook Rd.
“USCAE is currently finalizing the clean up of the site and will be removing the property,” Barber said.
AU did not wish to comment on this particular case.
USCAE is ensuring all safety procedures are taken during the project.
“Safety is our number one priority,” Barber said. “The site has been adequately secured and cannot be accessed by the public.”
The house will be taken down systematically over a four-week period. The Army Corps will suppress dust and implement noise controls during the demolition, Barber said.
People will direct traffic on the 4800 block of Glenbrook Rd. during the demolition, Barber said.
After the house is removed, the Army Corps will excavate the house in two phases, she said.
A “high probability” excavation will be completed under an engineering control structure using a chemical air filtration system to control ventilation and any potential chemical releases. A high probability excavation means there is a high probability that chemicals will be found in the excavation. High probability areas include the front yard, the area under the house and the backyard and retaining wall.
A low probability excavation will be completed under open air with monitoring devices in place. Low probability areas include the driveway and the area behind the backyard retaining wall, Barber said.
USCAE also identified 4,000 square feet of waste in the Department of Public Safety Building area and believe that some may also be extended under the building. The investigation and clean up of this area was completed in 2009, according to USCAE reports.
Projects at 4825 Glenbrook Rd. were temporarily stopped in 2010 to analyze the property safety control to contain and filter a chemical recovered in a bottle at the site, according to Barber.
“During the 2010 investigation, arsenic trichloride was discovered at the site,” Barber said. “The Corps did not anticipate encountering this chemical and needed to evaluate safety features to ensure they would capture arsenic trichloride in the event of a release.”
The Corps originally planned to finish the 4825 Glenbrook Rd. project by late 2011, The Eagle previously reported.
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