Manchester Mold Sickens Woman, Suit Alleges

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Manchester Mold Sickens Woman, Suit Alleges

November 9, 2005

http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=11288

Richmond,VA

A Richmond woman who purchased a condominium in the Old Manchester

Lofts has filed suit against developer Robin and the

property's owners, alleging her $220,000 loft was contaminated with

lead and mold. In the suit, filed in Richmond Circuit Court Oct. 21,

Resa alleges that and the property owners lied to her

about damage to the condo during Hurricane Gaston in August 2004 and

tried to conceal the subsequent mold problems. She is asking for

$2.5 million plus punitive damages.

, a prominent Richmond developer, says ' allegations are

unfounded. After she complained, says, he offered to buy back

' condo, but she wouldn't agree. The amount she's demanding in

court is " totally inappropriate, " he says, " so it's a matter of

principle to me now. "

" I need to defend my reputation, " adds.

City officials say they have received no complaints about the

property, which sits on Porter Street in Manchester. Public works

spokeswoman Flagg says mold " may be a legal issue " but it's

not a building code violation.

Mold is also a contentious issue, and in recent years has become a

popular cause for litigation. No national standards exist for mold

levels. For many people, the presence of mold has no effect, while

others may develop serious allergies or asthma.

, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Virginia

Commonwealth University, moved from Minnesota to Richmond last fall

to begin work at Virginia Commonwealth University. She bought one of

the 80 new condos in the Old Manchester Lofts in October 2004,

according to the lawsuit, but because of the mold never moved in.

She has, however, visited the condo several times.

On Oct. 30, 2004, took a friend to see her condo. They were

both " overcome by a very strong chemical odor " that left

coughing and burned her eyes, the suit says.

In an investigation into the heating and ventilation unit above

' condo, the suit says technicians hired by

found " significant areas covered with green and black mold, " citrus

deodorizers in the ceiling beams and later, " a large, mushroom-like

structure " growing on a joist. A Nov. 19 sampling of the air in

' apartment found an " enormous " spore count, the suit

continues, and black mold could be seen growing on the hallway wall,

outside the condo. says he too hired a firm to investigate,

and it found fewer mold spores inside the condo than in the outside

air.

Now, says she has health problems, including asthma because of

the toxins released by the mold, the suit alleges. " She has a

lifetime disease, " says ' lawyer, S. . " She'll be

in line to get the flu shots with the old people. " —

Sinclair/i>

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