By Lori Ehde
The Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne is wrapping up its mold abatement project, and the wheels of justice are already in motion to sue the parties responsible.
The problem was discovered in the summer of 1998 when staff noticed dark spots behind the wallpaper in residents' rooms.
The mold was blamed on a faulty heating and cooling system that allowed moisture to condense around windows between Sheetrock and wallpaper.
To rectify the problem, all exterior walls of the building had to be stripped to clear existing mold, and Sheetrock and wall covering were replaced. At the same time, ductwork was replaced with a higher capacity system, about twice the size of the original air handling system.
In the end, the project cost nearly $6 million for a structure that cost $7.2 million to build in 1992.
Adding to the expense of the project was the reduced number of residents. Having to limit occupancy to 75 residents instead of the capacity 85, added up to $344,000 in lost revenues for the home.
The lawsuit, litigated by the Attorney General's Office, names the architect designer, contractor and air system consultant as responsible parties.
Group II Architects and Carr Construction, both of Marshall, and Johnson Controls, Sioux Falls, S.D., are specifically named in the suit.
The suit is scheduled for trial in May of 2002 in Ramsey County.
"It's a complex piece of litigation, and there will be extensive discovery on the case," McGill said. "Three parties need to take depositions."
At the time the mold was discovered, State Engineer Patrick Ferrin reportedly blamed project engineers and architects who scaled back on the heating and cooling system in the home to spend more on a "fancy" exterior. Ferrin said he tried to call attention to the design defects as the home was under construction, but he wasnÕt taken seriously.
Mold abatement work began in March of 1999 and is nearly complete.
On a positive note, Luverne Vets Home Administrator Pam Barrows said the work was completed with little inconvenience to residents and staff.
"I think it went very well," she said Wednesday. "The workers on site (from Design Craft) were very good to work with and were very considerate of the residents. In fact, they made friends with the residents, and the residents enjoyed what they could watch."