Amid controversy, the destruction of the Tompkins County Library is now underway.

The company LeChase has until the end of February to tear the building down.

Some people who live and work in the area are worried about potential asbestos exposure.

A coalition letter was signed by around 40 local businesses, urging the city to delay the demolition. They argued the demolition of the building could have a major impact on their holiday sales.

Travis Hyde representatives say crews are using water to spray down the site to control exposure.

“The process to prevent dust escaping is to wet down the asbestos fibers, or actually wet down all of the demolition debris,” said Frost Travis, president Of Travis Hyde Properties. “It’s filtered to remove particulates include asbestos. Our demolition permit is through February, and we anticipate about a 16-month construction window after that.”

The coalition letter also claimed noise generated by the construction could drive away business.