Delayed Justice Center undergoes mold removal

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Delayed Justice Center undergoes mold removal

By TONY ILLIA

BUSINESS PRESS

Las Vegas Business Press Fri, 29 Jul 2005 11:34 AM PDT

http://www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles/2005/07/29/breaking_news/03ne

ws.txt

Downtown's Regional Justice Center is taking so long to complete

that it now needs $250,000 worth of mold removal. County

recently hired Specialty Construction of Snohomish, Wash., to

clean several mold-contaminated areas inside the overdue, unfinished

building.

The project calls for water repairs and mold remediation on 11 of

the building's 18 levels. It's a two-month task that entails

removing and replacing ceiling tiles, drywall, fire sprinklers,

windows and carpet, among other things. Certain types of mold, if

left untreated, can cause serious health problems.

" Mold exposure can cause an infection with some people, although the

most common response is an allergic reaction resulting in eye

irritation, shortness of breath, sinus congestion and headaches, "

said Levine, a national mold expert. " But people react to

mold in very different ways, which is why it's a heath and liability

issue. "

The mold was caused by leaking roofs, walls, windows and plumbing --

a result of poor construction. The county ousted its general

contractor, A.F. Construction, in April due to quality issues, cost

overruns and delays. The 702,000-square-foot high-rise at South

Casino Center Boulevard and Avenue was originally supposed to

finish in January 2002. It's now expected to open by year's end

after $5 million worth of repairs are completed, all of which are

currently underway. The new facility will combine District, Justice,

Municipal and Supreme Courts into one building.

" A.F. has done a lot of work in the last year, but most of it was

for repairing faulty construction rather than actual progress work, "

said Randy , the county's project representative. " When you

have a problem, you normally work through it. We didn't seem to be

able to do that with A.F. "

The Regional Justice Center is part of a $120 million public-safety

bond package approved by voters in September 1996. The price tag,

originally pegged at $80 million, increased after public officials

made tenant additions and improvements. In 1999, the county awarded

the $123.5 million job to A.F. Construction. (The total project cost

has since reached $195 million and growing.)

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