Asbestos adds millions to cost of demolishing old Richmond High School of the Arts

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Demolition of the old Richmond High School of the Arts will take longer and cost millions more than planned after crews found asbestos in the building.

Crews uncovered a significant amount of asbestos encased in the walls during demolition, according to school board meeting agenda documents. Richmond Public Schools says the material must be removed before demolition can move forward.

The school division says the labor-intensive removal process could add four to seven months to the project. The second phase was originally expected to be finished by fall 2027, but the division now lists a tentative completion date of summer 2028.

The asbestos will add between $3 million and $5 million to the demolition cost.

One potential source of help is the 1% sales tax increase approved by a majority of Richmond voters.

The money is set aside for capital projects and could help address costs like these.

This information will presented to the RPS school board and its’ next meeting on Tuesday night.