Augusta commissioners to discuss loose panels on “Marble Palace”
AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF)- Tuesday, Augusta commissioners will meet to discuss a potential safety hazard at the municipal building, sometimes known as the ‘Marble Palace.’
More than a thousand marble panels cover the exterior of the municipal building and there are concerns over how secure they are.
Recently one of the panels was removed because it was loose due to a rusted fastener.
People go in and out of the municipal building all day long and city leaders say people should be able to do so without the fear of a panel falling on them.
An engineering report says it is possible that more panels could come loose and fall off of the building. It recommends that all of the other panels be x-rayed to make sure they aren’t loose too.
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Commissioners are divided on what to do, some saying a full inspection isn’t needed while others disagree.
NewsChannel 6 spoke with several residents who all agree– just do the x-rays.
“I think it should be done. That could fall and hurt someone. And I think they definitely should do the whole x-ray on the building, because as you see it’s starting to fall. So there’s most likely there’s others that will fall,” said Brenda Hoban.
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Checking the rest of the panels will be pricey- around $200,000.
Hoban thinks that commissioners should do whatever needs to be done for safety.
“Money should be the last thing they’re thinking about. They should be concerned about the people. And the building will probably keep deteriorating when it comes to maybe hurting someone. And then the lawsuit would be more than the money they have to put into it,” she said.
Commissioners will take up the issue at Tuesday’s meeting, held at the municipal building on Telfair Street at 2 p.m.
Photojournalist: Dania Alawir.
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