Redevelopment commission approves spot remediation at 714 South Rogers after mold found

The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission unanimously approved an addendum to the environmental contractor agreement for 714 South Rogers Street on Aug. 4, 2025, after staff reported new mold growth following earlier moisture remediation. Housing and Neighborhood Development Director Anna Killeen Hanson told the commission that the building’s air handler is now operating but the long interval between mitigation and re‑electrification led to mold growth on some wood materials. “It took quite some time to get the air handler on. Unfortunately…we have some needs. So there was some mold growth specifically on some, I think some wood materials,” Hanson said. The addendum authorizes selective demolition, spot treatment and ongoing monitoring to prevent further degradation until full rehabilitation proceeds. Hanson said the work aims to avoid escalation that would require more expensive “masked” contractor work later. She also said she will report back at the next meeting with a timeline for when the remediation firm can start. Commissioners questioned how the building’s electric service was cut during demolition and whether the contractor bore liability; Hanson said the cut involved the service line and had been a complex reconnection, and that the circumstances suggested a miscommunication rather than clear contractor liability. During discussion commissioners pressed for a clearer timeline for the property’s disposition and for staff to limit recurring security expenditures while a longer‑term plan is finalized. Commissioner Randy Cassidy said the commission has repeatedly invested in security and asked when a definitive plan to rehab or dispose of the building would be brought forward; Hanson said the project’s financing analysis (affected by SB 1) delayed conclusions but that staff are “very close.” The motion to approve the addendum was moved and seconded during the meeting and passed unanimously. Hanson noted the remediation contract includes monthly inspections and testing; she said the remediation contractor indicated it could mobilize “fairly quickly” and staff will provide a more specific completion target at the commission’s next meeting. The item was discussed during the agenda item for resolution 25‑95. No public comment was offered before the vote. The commission did not set a firm completion deadline in the addendum, though Hanson committed to reporting an expected schedule to commissioners at the next meeting.