HAMMOND | First-floor tenants in the recently opened Golden Manor Apartments, the first phase of an estimated $55 million revamping of the Columbia Center, are being temporarily relocated as developers battle the discovery of mildew.

An 80-unit, four-story apartment building geared toward senior citizens, Golden Manor opened in late June. The senior housing community is part of the revitalization of the 1940s-era Columbia Center, an effort at transforming the public housing development into mixed income property.

When announced to acclaim two years ago, the senior housing community was estimated to cost in the range of $8.2 million.

Columbia Center's rebirth was made possible through the awarding of nearly $767,000 in annual state tax credits for each of 10 years through the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority.

The winning proposal for the state tax credits was written by the Indianapolis firm of Herman & Kittle, which has served as developer, contractor and property manager.

The mildew was spotted in a bathroom of a vacant apartment about two weeks ago, said Laurren Brown, marketing and public relations associate for Herman & Kittle.

"We have found the mildew in the bathrooms and on the inside of the exterior walls," Brown said. "It has been found sporadically throughout the first-floor apartments. The first floor holds 20 apartments.

"Since then we have been testing the units and consulting with experts on the best way to remediate the issue," she said. "Given that this is a new building and this issue just surfaced, there is little health risk to the residents."

Potential health effects and symptoms associated with exposure to mold include allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory complaints.

Brown said the mildew was caused by excess moisture forming on the slab floors.

"It's not uncommon to have mildew in new buildings because the slab draws moisture from the ground, sweats and may need more ventilation. It helps when residents run their fans or AC units. This explains why this only occurred on the first floor since it's the only one on the slab."

The flooring was sealed when it was first poured, she said. The carpeting is being pulled up to reseal the surface.

"We are also replacing the carpet and other affected finishes, such as the trim, wiping down furniture, and so on," Brown said. "Another round of tests will be done several weeks after all the units are completed."

Brown said the firm both wrote and met with tenants last Friday to explain the situation. Residents are being moved to a hotel or with family for three days at the firm's expense, helped with packing and storage, and given a prepaid debit card to cover food and other incidentals.

Paul Garrett, an environmental sanitarian with the Lake County Health Department, said the office has received no complaints since the problem surfaced. Neither Lake County nor any other in the state inspects housing for mold problems, he said. "The majority of houses do hold some mold," he said.

There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Web site. The way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.

The EPA publication, "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home," offers information to homeowners and renters on how to clean up mold problems and how to prevent mold growth. The guide is available from the EPA at www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldresources.html.