Ohio State University to Evacuate Lawrence Tower Amid Mold Concerns

Ohio State University has announced plans to evacuate all residents from Lawrence Tower dormitory by the spring semester following the discovery of mold. Approximately 500 students currently reside in Lawrence Tower, located in the former Holiday Inn on Lane Avenue. According to Ohio State spokesman Dave Isaacs, this marks the first instance in recent years where an entire dormitory is being evacuated midway through the academic year.

Dave Isaacs stated that students would be provided with several options, including the possibility of moving back home. Earlier this month, water damage had resulted in drywall damage, promoting the growth of mold and mushrooms behind the wallpaper in students’ dorm rooms. «Moving all Lawrence Tower residents will minimize further disruptions to their student experience and facilitate ongoing renovations,» Isaacs commented in a statement.

The situation has prompted action from multiple parents of students residing in the affected tower, who proceeded to independently hire companies to test for mold. Out of 28 rooms tested, 27 returned positive for high mold levels. The university responded by notifying residents in those rooms of the option to request a room change, although it stated it was «unaware of the testing protocol utilized for these tests.»

Ohio State is conducting its own comprehensive air-quality testing through the university’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety and with a contracted vendor. This testing commenced on Tuesday and is to be completed by Friday. «Early review indicates that most rooms are within the expected range when compared to the immediate outdoor environment,» Isaacs said.

Lawrence Tower, originally a Holiday Inn built in 1973 and acquired by Ohio State’s Campus Partners in 2009, contains rooms housing one to four students. Most rooms are classified as Rate 1, representing top-tier campus accommodations at a cost of $5,045 per semester, with some Rate 2 rooms costing $4,203 per semester.

Evacuated students will have housing options: relocating to new on-campus accommodations, a master-leased near-campus location, canceling their housing contract to move home, or identifying an alternative housing option. Isaacs noted that students wishing to stay in their current rooms until the semester’s end could do so, when possible. «We will promptly work directly with any residents of rooms that indicate the need for more immediate relocation or further analysis,» Isaacs affirmed.