From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Feb. 22. 1989:

A Lawrence resident this week raised the question of possible asbestos at the future site of the Lawrence Riverfront Plaza. The buildings formerly housing the old Bowersock Mills and Power Co. were being removed in preparation for the construction of a 150,000-square-foot factory outlet shopping center. East Lawrence resident Mick Palmer had written Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment Stanley Grant to ask that KDHE investigate whether asbestos-removal laws were being followed at the demolition site and asking that the work be halted until public safety could be assured. In his letter, which he also shared with the Journal-World, Palmer said that “one visitor” to the site had witnessed demolition of a wall and the removal of a pipe in a way that did not appear consistent with asbestos-removal regulations. However, an estimator working on the project said that all requirements had been seen to prior to the removal of the pipe. “What (Palmer) saw was demolition of a building after asbestos was removed,” said Greg Nitcher of All Temperatures Insulation, Kansas City, Mo. “There was a study done by Hall-Kimbrell to find out where all the asbestos was prior to our coming in and removing it. Everything was on the up and up.”