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UA officials to close Christopher City

Repair of complex's mold problems too costly for

The UA's family housing complex will close at the end of August because UA officials decided Friday that fixing the complex's mold problems would not be worth the project's $2.5 million cost..

"I think this is a very good decision - when it comes to matters of health you just don't fool around," said Sharon Kha, University of Arizona spokeswoman.

Kha said the UA had planned to close the complex within two to three years - regardless of a mold problem - and spending $2.5 million would be unnecessary.

"It really made the decision necessary now," she said.

Fixing the complex's mold problems would include temporarily relocating Christopher City residents and their belongings, removing most of the complex's carpet, and replacing parts of the air conditioning units, according to a letter from UA President Peter Likins, sent Friday to residents.

Act Environmental Inc. of Tucson has conducted an estimated $30,000 mold inspection of 20 apartments at the UA's family housing complex to find Stachybotrys chartarum mold, reported to have caused health problems for at least one former resident in February. The company also checked for other molds.

Stachybotrys chartarum has been found in two apartments so far, said Risk Management health and safety officer Julia Rosen in an e-mail interview. Rosen has also completed inspections of 40 other Christopher City apartments.

"Every resident who is currently living in Christopher City will have to relocate elsewhere," said Jim Van Arsdel, Residence Life director. "There will be a time, beginning this fall, when we will not have family or graduate housing."

Van Arsdel said closing the complex in August will not affect any residents' leases because Residence Life decided in March not to renew any resident leases.

About 800 people - UA families and international UA students - live at Christopher City, 3401 N. Columbus Blvd.

The UA will help pay for "reasonable" relocation costs and also provide housing information, Kha said. Staff members will also be on hand this week to answer residents' questions, she said.

A new family housing facility will be built probably by the year 2002 or 2003 on the existing Christopher City site, Van Arsdel said.

The new family housing facility will probably have about 150 units and the graduate housing complex, which will be built north of Coronado Residence Hall by 2002, will also probably have 150 units, he said.

The current facilities will be torn down, and the future complex will be built from brand new material, Van Arsdel said.

Charla Carr, a former Christopher City resident who moved out after her daughter suffered from asthma, said she is not sure if she believes the UA officials will actually follow through with their plan to close the complex.

But Carr, a history senior, said if they follow through she would be very happy.

"I was getting my doubts that I'd see it (happen) before I graduated," she said.

Carr said that removing the Christopher City materials will be expensive and needs to be conducted carefully.

"It's far from a slam dunk for the U (university)," she said.

Christina Livingston, a former Christopher City resident who suspects she suffered from asthma and nose bleeds because of mold in her apartment, said she is pleased the UA finally made a decision.

"I'm glad that they are closing it," said Livingston, who moved out of the complex because of her illnesses. "I think that is the most responsible thing the university can do."

However, she said she wishes the UA would have acted sooner.

"As soon as they found one apartment with these problems they really needed to close it right away," said Livingston, a creative writing senior.

She said she still has not received a copy of a Risk Management report that was conducted about the mold in her apartment although she was told she would receive it a month ago.

Livingston said she hopes the Christopher City materials are removed properly and that officials test the soil so mold and asbestos problems do not reoccur.

UA officials have been unsure whether to repair, rebuild or find an existing complex to house families almost since the university purchased the apartments in 1962, Van Arsdel said in January.

He said Christopher City, which was appraised for $1.5 million, has other problems besides the Stachybotrys chartarum mold that has been found in two apartments so far.

"The complex's well dried up, the $200,000 air conditioning chillers could die at any time, the chillers' pipes are corroded, and the roof needs repairs," Van Arsdel said.

Residence Life conducted a survey, with 207 responses, to find out what UA graduate students and students with families want in a housing facility.

"What it shows is families with children want to rebuild at Christopher City and students without families want to stay on campus," he said.

The survey, broken into categories including students with and without children, rated laundry facilities, parking area and security systems as very important.

Van Arsdel said the survey will be used when constructing the $25 million graduate complex. He said the survey will be considered when making decisions about family housing.

David Duffy, the director of campus and facilities planning, said he will attempt to have about eight to 12 acres of Christopher City's 68 acres re-zoned so the land can possibly be sold later for profit.

"We want to bring it up to contemporary city zoning," Duffy said.

The land is currently designated as a residential area, Duffy said.

He said having the property re-zoned will raise its value, which would make it more profitable to sell later. Duffy said the re-zoning process will begin this week.

Rachael Myer can be reached at Rachael.Myer@wildcat.arizona.edu.