In the first step of an 18-month renovation of Holyoke Center, asbestos will be removed from the ceiling and sub-basement of the administrative building, Harvard Real Estate spokesperson Dianne M. Dyslin said this week.

The removal will all take place during weekends, and the safety of the operation will be overseen by Harvard's Environmental Health and Safety Office, Dyslin said.

The asbestos was placed in Holyoke for insulation and fire prevention purposes when the building was erected approximately 30 years ago.

The "wonder substance of the 60s" will be removed in order to make the building safe for workers who will be installing a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, Dyslin said.

"Massachusetts has a state law that says buildings over 70 feet tall must have sprinklers," Dyslin said. "Since we were going to have to tear up the ceiling for the installation, we decided to combine both projects."

Only the asbestos that workers might come in contact with is being removed, but the remaining asbestos will not be hazardous to workers, Dyslin said.

"This is a limited removal," she said. "The other asbestos will continue to be monitored."