A 10-story high-rise renovation project in downtown Sioux Falls has been brought to a halt after state regulators feared a mesothelioma risk caused by disturbance of legacy asbestos. The regulators allege that the developer attempted to evade environmental oversight and misrepresented the building’s asbestos status to regulators, exposing tenants and workers to contaminated dust.
Mesothelioma Risk Created by Uncertified Work in Asbestos-Contaminated Building
Spurred by concerns about mesothelioma, the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Division of Hazardous Waste Management has cited developer Lamont Cos. for multiple environmental safety violations at a building the company purchased in 2025 with plans to convert upper floors into an AC Hotels by Marriott location. The violations include using uncertified workers to disturb asbestos-containing materials, failing to notify state officials as required by law, and violating federal Clean Air Act asbestos work-practice and monitoring requirements.
After receiving a complaint in June and repeatedly requesting a copy of the building’s asbestos inspection report, DANR determined the building had never been cleared as free of mesothelioma-causing asbestos hazards. The scope of the violations was extensive. Workers removed walls containing asbestos on the second, third, and ninth floors; drilled through asbestos-laden fireproofing between the first and second floors; removed ceiling components on multiple floors in a manner that disturbed asbestos-containing fireproofing; and mixed asbestos waste with other debris that was not properly disposed of.
Mesothelioma Legacy Asbestos Danger Persists in Buildings Constructed Before 1980s
The Sioux Falls case illustrates the reality that the mesothelioma community has long warned about — legacy asbestos remains a dangerous and ongoing threat in buildings constructed before the 1980s. When buildings containing legacy asbestos are renovated without proper precautions, microscopic fibers are released into the air where they can be inhaled by workers, tenants, and anyone else in the vicinity. People exposed to these fibers may not know for 20 to 50 years whether their exposure will result in a mesothelioma diagnosis, making strict enforcement of asbestos safety regulations a matter of life and death.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
