Mercer Island City Hall will likely remain closed through the summer as city staff and environmental safety experts facilitate remediation after asbestos-contaminated broken tiles were discovered in the boiler room last month. A reopening date is unknown, according to the city.

Since the boiler room contains two air-handling units, the city temporarily shuttered the building on April 17 to ensure the safety of staff and visitors, according to a previous Reporter story.

During the testing, asbestos was detected inside the HVAC ducts at three locations (out of 29 locations tested) and in two of the system’s filters. “The concentrations were low but warrant additional testing and investigation,” the report reads.

The city report added that tests revealed that, “Portions of the HVAC system that need to be abated due to the presence of surface level asbestos cannot be cleaned due to their type and material, and therefore must be fully removed and replaced.”

Most city services will continue operating virtually or from alternate facilities, and police, fire and Public Works response will continue per usual. Residents needing assistance accessing services or who have questions about this closure can contact the city’s customer service team at https://www.mercerisland.gov/contact.