By CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 52 minutes ago
MIAMI - A federal judge has closed portions of Miami's historic downtown courthouse after a report identified widespread mold infestation and ongoing water leaks, with one part of the basement termed "disgusting" by inspectors.
U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno, the chief judge in Florida's Southern District, said in a memo that parts of the basement that house court records and a stairwell used by judges were being closed until further notice.
"The new steps we are taking may in fact be premature without further microbial testing, but nonetheless we intend to err on the side of caution," Moreno said in the memo dated Friday and obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.
Moreno took action after receiving last week a new U.S. Public Health Service study, which found mold throughout the 166,000-square-foot building that opened in 1933. Known officially as the David W. Dyer building, the courthouse is one of several in Miami's downtown federal judicial complex.
Across the street, a new 14-story courthouse sits unused, more than $60 million over budget and three years behind schedule. Electrical problems, hurricane damage and contractor disputes are blamed for the delay, which shows no sign of ending.
In the Dyer building, inspectors "observed multiple signs of suspect microbial growth and/or water damaged building materials," the Public Health Service report stated.
Employees have repeatedly complained about such health problems as sneezing, coughing, runny noses and lung irritation, as well as musty odors and water leaks. One law clerk in a second-floor office works from home because of "poor indoor air quality and mold," the report said.
The report also found that a basement sump pump room is "disgusting," has no ventilation and "is infested with pests." And a leaking toilet above basement space used as a gym by the U.S. Marshals Service has caused suspected mold growth on walls and elsewhere.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080227/ap_on_re_us/troubled_courthouses
