October 15, 2019 —Blast incident
Kendal at Lexington is committed to carrying out construction and renovations on our campus in the safest possible manner. Yesterday when Nielsen Builders informed us that a blast did not go as planned, we immediately halted all further work and began investigating what had gone wrong. We then notified neighbors about the incident through e-mail and on the blog set up specifically to communicate with them about the construction project. We are deeply thankful that no injuries resulted from this mishap, and we are working to determine what caused the problem.
We were grateful to have the expertise of the Fire Marshal on site at the time, and before the blast Kendal had been assured that all safety requirements had been taken into account. The impact of this event on our neighbors’ sense of safety and well-being is a very serious issue, and we will be communicating with them about what happened before work resumes.
We have directed Nielsen Builders to advise Kendal of the result of their investigation, and we expect to receive that information by close of business on Friday, June 15. (Clarification update 6/18/18-
At the time of the last posting, Kendal misunderstood the investigation process. The Fire Marshal is responsible for the investigation and will prepare the official report. )
We will not allow any further blasting until we can ensure that it can be done in a completely safe and controlled manner.
A storm water issue
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality alerted us that some sediment from Kendal at Lexington’s Sediment Basin #1 has made its way into Woods Creek. Fortunately, the problem was quickly discovered, and all necessary steps are being taken to prevent runoff into Woods Creek.
The impact of our activities on waterways surrounding the Kendal at Lexington campus is of upmost importance to us, and we will not resume any excavation work until advised that we may proceed by DEQ.
Sunrise Ridge
We strongly believe in importance of the Sunrise Ridge expansion project and in helping to meet the needs of older adults in our community and beyond. We will continue to work closely with city, county and state authorities to ensure it will be good for both Lexington and Rockbridge County.
Kendal at Lexington appreciates the ongoing support from our residents, our board, our staff, the teams of professionals, government officials and the greater community as we continue with this important work. We will work hard to continue to keep everyone informed of our progress and welcome suggestions and questions in the meantime.
Sincerely,
Mina Tepper
Executive Director Kendal at Lexington