WHEELING — The project to remove asbestos from the sprawling former Clay School building in East Wheeling has been completed, and work to demolish the structure is scheduled to go out to bid as early as next week.

Work began around the end of August to remove asbestos from the 75,000-square-foot building that for many years has sat vacant along 15th Street above the J.B. Chambers Memorial Recreation complex football field. In June, Wheeling City Council awarded a contract to Reclaim Company LLC of Fairmont, W.Va., for the abatement work.

A $500,000 Brownfields grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was secured for the asbestos abatement. However, some of these funds were previously spent on consulting services to provide specifications for the contract.

Ultimately, the city

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