Chelsea was recently awarded up to $200,000 for asbestos removal at the Longworth Building by the Downriver Community Conference.

City Manager John Hanifan said, “regardless of what happens to the building, whether it is demolished or renovated, the work must take place.”

The property is owned by the city's Downtown Development Authority and is a hot button topic for local historical preservationists, who hope to somehow save the structure at 110 Jackson St., which stands two stories and is about 11,800 square feet.

The Chelsea City Council unanimously approved the agreement for the asbestos work, which is estimated to cost about $170,000. Another $30,000 is estimated for soil remediation once the asbestos is removed, according to the project summary.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Chelsea stories, visit our Chelsea page.