Ohio State University is relocating all students who live in Lawrence Tower because of mold issues.
A water leak in October caused mold to develop and mushrooms to grow out of the walls. The university has asked all students to move out before spring semester as officials address the problem.
About 500 students live in the former hotel on West Lane Avenue on campus. Lawrence Tower is an 11-story residence hall that was built in 1973 and acquired by the university in 2009.
"This will minimize further disruptions to their student experience and facilitate ongoing renovations. Each student will have the option to move to a new on-campus or master-leased, near-campus location, or to elect to cancel their housing contract to move home, live with a relative or identify an alternative housing option," university spokesman Dave Isaacs said in a statement.
Some of the students living there were already outside packing cars with their belongings on Friday.
Ava McGovern is a Lawrence Tower resident and a freshman studying psychology. McGovern said she remembers seeing the viral social media posts showing a mushroom sprouting from behind wallpaper inside the dorm.
"I was like, wait, that's my dorm. I was so shocked and just kind of, like, appalled, honestly," McGovern said.
McGovern said the situation has made her stressed. She said she plans to go to a doctor to get a lingering cold checked out that she said she's had all semester.
"I feel like OSU is such a good school, so I wasn't expecting it. But I suppose when you think about really how old the building is, it makes sense," McGovern said.
McGovern said she and her roommate are being moved to an apartment building near campus. Other students are being placed in other residence halls.
Shadie Marid is a freshman studying neuroscience at OSU and also lives in the dorm. He said his room wasn't impacted by noticeable mold like some others, but he is still frustrated with the university.
"I understand there's like safety concerns and things of that nature. And I guess I'm still figuring out where I'm going to live," Marid said.
Isaacs said OSU is analyzing each room individually and speaking with a third-party consultant and Columbus Public Health. He said students who do not wish to relocate until the end of the semester may remain in their current rooms when possible.
"The university has started receiving and processing results from air-quality testing conducted in all rooms in Lawrence Tower, except for those under current remediation. Early review indicates that most rooms are within the expected range when compared to the immediate outdoor environment," Isaacs said.
It is unclear when the residence hall could open back up in the future.
