Sick Fla. college building is coming down

September 15, 2006

By JACKELYN BARNARD

FIRST COAST NEWS, JACKSONVILLE

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Building No. 7, the former home to Social

Sciences at the University of North Florida, is now nothing more

than a bunch of wires and walls being torn down.

The building was home to professor Stan Swart and his office for 27

years.

" It did send me to the ER, " Swart says. Problems from mold and water

leaks in the building made him sick.

Swart wasn't the only one complaining, a number of others were too.

First Coast News obtained a letter from November 1979 documenting a

list of problems in the building.

The letter documented claims that problems were detected in the

building less than a month after the building was completed in 1976.

" From practically the day the building was opened it had problems

with leaking, " says Sharon Ashton, a spokesperson for UNF.

The letter goes on to note those problems were known before the

expiration of a yearlong warranty, yet the state signed off on the

deal and accepted the construction anyway.

" Our hands were tied under the old system and there's a new system

in place just like we have a new building. I guess it's not a great

excuse to say time has changed, " says Ashton.

In fact, a lot has changed over time. That system which gave the

state complete control over construction projects is gone.

It has been replaced by a new system which allows UNF to control

construction projects and fix problems before it's too late.

As for Stan Swart, while his old building is being demolished, he

has a new office in a new building that is problem-free.

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First Coast News in ville is a FLORIDA TODAY news partner.

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