Asbestos in Historic Pennsylvania Hotels

Key Takeaways

• Pennsylvania’s historic hotels, from grand city hotels in Philadelphia to mountain resorts in the Poconos and Allegheny Mountains, were often built or renovated during decades when asbestos was widely used in American construction.
• Asbestos-containing materials in older hotels could include pipe and boiler insulation, heating and ventilation systems, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, roofing materials, cement products, fireproofing, and electrical components.
• Landmark properties like the Omni Bedford Springs Resort (dating to 1806), The Hotel Hershey (opened 1933), and Philadelphia’s Bellevue-Stratford Hotel (built 1904) each have complex, multi-era construction and renovation histories that could involve materials from several decades.
• Hotel maintenance workers, electricians, plumbers, engineers, painters, and renovation crews may have faced repeated occupational exposure while repairing pipes, boilers, and building systems, often without realizing asbestos was present.
• Asbestos may remain hidden behind newer construction in renovated buildings, and disturbing it during restoration work can release fibers, making it important for former hotel workers to remember the properties where they worked as part of their occupational history.

When people think about asbestos exposure in Pennsylvania, they often picture steel mills, coal mines, factories, shipyards, or power plants. But asbestos could also be found in a place that seems much less industrial: the hotel. 

Pennsylvania has a remarkable collection of historic hotels and resorts. From grand hotels in Philadelphia to mountain resorts in the Poconos and Allegheny Mountains, these properties reflect generations of Pennsylvania history. Many were constructed or substantially renovated during the same decades when asbestos was widely used in American building materials. 

For hotel workers, maintenance employees, construction crews, and contractors, that history could create opportunities for occupational asbestos exposure. 

The concern today is not necessarily the age of a hotel itself. It is the materials that may have been installed, repaired, or replaced throughout the building’s history. 

Why Was Asbestos Used in Hotels? 

During much of the 20th century, asbestos was considered a remarkably useful building material. 

It was resistant to heat and fire, durable, and relatively inexpensive. Manufacturers incorporated asbestos into hundreds of products, including insulation, floor tiles, roofing materials, cement products, pipe insulation, ceiling materials, electrical components, and other construction products. 

Hotels were particularly likely to contain many of these materials because they were essentially large, complex buildings filled with plumbing, electrical systems, boilers, kitchens, elevators, heating and cooling equipment, guest rooms, and common areas. 

In an older hotel, asbestos-containing materials could potentially be located in places such as: 

• Pipe and boiler insulation 

• Heating and ventilation systems 

• Floor tiles and associated adhesives 

• Ceiling tiles 

• Roofing materials 

• Cement products 

• Fireproofing 

• Electrical components 

• Gaskets and packing 

• Wall and ceiling materials 

• Caulking and sealants 

• Window and door components 

Not every historic hotel contains asbestos, and the presence of asbestos should never be assumed solely because a building is old. Identifying asbestos generally requires appropriate historical documentation, inspection, and, when necessary, professional testing. 

But Pennsylvania’s hotel history provides plenty of reasons to examine the possibility. 

Omni Bedford Springs: One of Pennsylvania’s Oldest Resort Hotels 

One of the most fascinating examples is the Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Bedford County. 

The resort’s history reaches back more than two centuries. The first permanent lodging structure, the Stone Inn, was constructed in 1806 after visitors began traveling to the area’s mineral springs. Over the following decades, the property expanded dramatically, with additional buildings and renovations transforming it into a major resort destination. 

The resort’s story continued well into the 20th century. It underwent major renovations, operated year-round beginning in 1950, and eventually closed in 1986. After years of deterioration, the property underwent an extensive restoration and reopened in the 2000s. 

That long history is significant when considering asbestos. 

A property that has existed through so many different eras may contain materials from multiple generations of construction and renovation. A building could have original 19th-century components alongside materials installed during renovations in the 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, or later. 

The resort’s history does not mean that its historic buildings necessarily contain asbestos. Instead, it demonstrates why large, continuously renovated properties can have complicated construction histories. 

The Hotel Hershey 

Another famous Pennsylvania property is The Hotel Hershey, which opened in 1933. 

Milton S. Hershey began construction during the Great Depression, partly as a way to keep local construction workers employed and support the community. The hotel opened on May 26, 1933, with a dinner and dance attended by 400 invited guests. 

The timing is important. 

The 1930s were firmly within the period when asbestos-containing building materials were widely used in American construction. A hotel of this size would have required extensive mechanical, electrical, plumbing, heating, and finishing systems. 

Over subsequent decades, renovations and upgrades could also introduce additional generations of building materials. 

For workers who maintained a property like this over many years, the potential exposure environment would not necessarily have been limited to guest rooms. Mechanical rooms, boiler areas, maintenance spaces, renovation projects, and building systems could all involve materials that historically contained asbestos. 

Philadelphia’s Grand Hotels 

Philadelphia has also been home to some of Pennsylvania’s most recognizable historic hotels. 

The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, located at Broad and Walnut Streets, was constructed in 1904 and expanded to its present size in 1912. The landmark building has served as a prominent part of Philadelphia’s skyline for more than a century. 

Buildings of this age have passed through numerous technological eras. 

When a hotel was first constructed in the early 1900s, it obviously did not contain every material that would later become common. As heating systems, electrical systems, plumbing, fire protection, elevators, and other technologies were modernized, additional materials were introduced. 

By the middle of the 20th century, asbestos-containing products were widely incorporated into commercial construction. 

That makes the renovation history of an older hotel just as important as its original construction date. 

Hotels Were Workplaces, Too 

The focus on historic hotels often centers on their architecture, famous guests, restaurants, and stories. 

But hotels were also workplaces. 

Behind every grand lobby and guest room was a network of employees responsible for keeping the building functioning. 

Maintenance workers repaired pipes and boilers. Electricians worked on wiring and electrical systems. Plumbers replaced fixtures and pipes. Painters and renovation crews worked on walls and ceilings. Engineers maintained heating and ventilation equipment. 

Housekeeping employees and other hotel workers could also work in areas where deteriorating building materials were present. 

During major renovations, construction workers could encounter materials that had been installed decades earlier. 

For some occupations, exposure could occur repeatedly over many years. 

The Boiler Room Could Be Especially Important 

One area of an older hotel that deserves particular attention is the mechanical or boiler room. 

Before modern heating systems, large buildings relied on extensive boilers, pipes, and heating infrastructure. Insulation was used to protect workers and improve efficiency by keeping heat contained within pipes and equipment. 

Historically, asbestos was commonly used for thermal insulation because of its resistance to heat. 

That meant workers who installed, repaired, removed, or disturbed old insulation could potentially encounter asbestos fibers. 

A maintenance worker might not have thought of the boiler room as an asbestos exposure site. They may have simply considered it part of their everyday job. 

Decades later, however, that work history can become significant. 

Renovations Can Disturb Hidden Materials 

One of the challenges with historic buildings is that asbestos may be hidden behind newer construction. 

A hotel may have been renovated several times. A newer floor may cover older flooring. New walls may have been installed over older materials. Modern mechanical systems may run alongside original pipes or insulation. 

When a renovation begins, contractors may remove layers of materials that have been in place for decades. 

Cutting, sanding, drilling, breaking, or demolishing asbestos-containing materials can release microscopic fibers into the air. 

This is why asbestos inspections and proper precautions are important when renovating older commercial buildings. 

For workers involved in historic hotel renovations, demolition, maintenance, and restoration, exposure could potentially occur without the worker ever knowing that asbestos was present. 

Pennsylvania’s Resort Hotels Tell a Larger Story 

The story extends beyond Bedford and Hershey. 

Pennsylvania has historic hotels and resorts throughout the Poconos, Allegheny Mountains, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley, Lancaster County, and other regions. 

Some began as 19th-century resorts. Others were built during Pennsylvania’s major industrial and economic expansion in the early 20th century. 

Many have undergone repeated renovations. 

That creates a complicated construction history. 

A hotel built in 1890 may have received electrical upgrades in the 1920s, heating renovations in the 1940s, new flooring in the 1950s, and additional remodeling in later decades. Each project potentially introduced new materials into the building. 

For asbestos exposure investigations, understanding that timeline can be just as important as knowing when the original hotel was built. 

The Workers Behind Pennsylvania’s Historic Hotels 

Historic hotels are often remembered for the guests who stayed there. 

But there is another history worth remembering: the workers who kept these buildings operating. 

For decades, maintenance employees, engineers, plumbers, electricians, painters, construction workers, boiler operators, and renovation crews worked behind the scenes. 

Some may have spent years handling materials that were considered ordinary at the time. 

They may have repaired insulated pipes, worked around boilers, replaced floor tiles, maintained heating systems, renovated guest rooms, or demolished portions of older buildings. 

At the time, many workers had no reason to believe these materials could cause a serious disease decades later. 

Why These Buildings Still Matter Today 

Pennsylvania’s historic hotels are an important part of the state’s cultural and architectural heritage. 

The Omni Bedford Springs Resort reflects more than 200 years of Pennsylvania history. The Hotel Hershey represents the vision of Milton Hershey and the economic circumstances of the Great Depression. Philadelphia’s grand hotels reflect the city’s growth into a major commercial and cultural center. 

But these buildings also remind us how construction practices have changed. 

Materials once considered safe and innovative can look very different through the lens of modern science. 

As historic hotels continue to undergo restoration and renovation, their hidden construction materials can become relevant again. Workers removing old insulation, flooring, ceiling materials, roofing, or mechanical components may encounter products installed decades earlier. 

For former hotel workers, maintenance employees, and construction crews who later develop an asbestos-related disease, remembering the buildings where they worked may be an important part of understanding their occupational history. 

Pennsylvania’s historic hotels preserve stories about the people who visited them, the communities surrounding them, and the industries that helped build them. 

They can also preserve something less visible: the building materials used during another era. 

For some workers, that hidden history may be an important part of Pennsylvania’s larger asbestos legacy. 

For more information, call (800) 505-6000, or fill out our contact form and someone will be with you right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would a historic Pennsylvania hotel contain asbestos?

During much of the 20th century, asbestos was considered a useful building material because it resisted heat and fire, was durable, and relatively inexpensive. Hotels were large, complex buildings with extensive plumbing, electrical systems, boilers, and heating and cooling equipment, all areas where asbestos-containing materials were commonly used.

Which historic Pennsylvania hotels have notable construction histories relevant to asbestos?

Examples include the Omni Bedford Springs Resort, whose history dates back to 1806 and includes renovations across multiple eras, The Hotel Hershey, which opened in 1933 during a period when asbestos-containing materials were widely used, and Philadelphia’s Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, built in 1904 and expanded in 1912.

Where in an older hotel might asbestos-containing materials be found?

Potential locations include pipe and boiler insulation, heating and ventilation systems, floor tiles and adhesives, ceiling tiles, roofing materials, cement products, fireproofing, electrical components, gaskets, and wall and ceiling materials.

Who was at risk of asbestos exposure while working in historic hotels?

Maintenance workers, electricians, plumbers, painters, engineers, boiler operators, and renovation and construction crews could face repeated exposure over many years while repairing pipes and boilers, working on electrical systems, or renovating guest rooms and common areas.

What should former hotel workers do if they believe they were exposed to asbestos?

Remembering the properties and tasks involved in your work history can be an important part of understanding potential exposure. Call the Halpern Law Firm at (800) 505-6000 or fill out the contact form for guidance.