In Big Trouble Because of Mold Infestation
NEW YORK — A 40-story skyscraper at the edge of Ground Zero withstood the terrorist attacks — but could be demolished because of a gross infestation of foul mold. The steel and glass face of the Deutsche Bank tower on Liberty Street was ripped open by a violent wave of debris from the collapsing World Trade Center.
While the rubble damaged a major structural column in the building, engineers have deemed the tower stable. The real problem is what’s inside the walls. Officials at Ground Zero say an aggressive fungus — described as looking like black splotches — has spread rapidly in the walls and ventilation ducts of the building, which was valued at $178 million before September 11, the Daily News reported.
Cleanup crews and bank employees who have been in the tower said the mold is everywhere. Deutsche Bank has not released details about the mold. But city officials said they believe the fungus grew rapidly because of dark and damp conditions in the abandoned building. They said it does not appear related to any toxic contaminants from the collapsing towers.
Sprinklers inside the bank building apparently were triggered by intensely hot fires at Ground Zero and soaked many of the floors, the newspaper reported. The water eventually stopped, but weeks went by before workers were able to seal a 24-story gash in the building’s facade.
“They got a big problem,” said Terry Gordon, an associate professor at the New York University School of Medicine who researches workplace air quality. Gordon said removing the mold from the tower would be a monumental task.
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The bank is concerned enough about the mold and asbestos contamination in nearby buildings that it has allowed few employees to retrieve items from the offices, sources said. Those who have gone into the tower say they have had to undergo safety training and don a protective suit and respirator.
Deutsche Bank officials have been tight-lipped about the tower’s fate. But the bank has quietly discussed razing or partially demolishing the building if the mold can’t be scrubbed away, sources said. Spokesman Mark Lingnau said no decision had been made. The city is not pressuring the bank to make a move.
