Inn at Penn mold not a risk for most

Hilton Inn at Penn guests have apparently not been endangered by exposure to mold -- which prompted a $9 million renovation project at the hotel.

According to hotel spokeswoman Nancy Barag, "there was never any danger to any guests, and we're fixing the problem."

The Inn at Penn renovation project began in November, six years after the hotel opened in 1999. The renovations are slated for completion in September.

Barag said that prior to the renovation project, the Inn at Penn was frequently tested for mold levels and the problem had been remediated several times. She did not specify how the problem had been temporarily remedied.

Barag added that over time, mold can reach dangerous levels. But the mold growth in the Inn at Penn never reached that point.

"The levels of mold spores were never as high as they are outside," Barag said. "You can walk outside of your house and there's more mold" than there was in the hotel.

However, a real estate professional involved in the original construction of the Inn at Penn, who wished to remain anonymous, said that "mold is a huge liability for building owners because it's a recent area of interest in litigation."

Infectious Diseases professor Neil Fishman said that exposure to mold should only be of serious concern for immuno-compromised patients -- people who don't have normal immune systems -- and for those with mold allergies.

"For example, somebody who has had a solid organ or bone-marrow transplant who is on drugs that suppress his immune system would be more susceptible to infections," Fishman said.

He added that mold exposure can trigger asthma attacks in people who are allergic to mold.

"A misapprehension is that mold actually causes diseases in the general public," Fishman said. "The finding of mold itself isn't that concerning to the general population because we're always exposed to mold -- you're exposed to mold when you walk down the street or go to a park, and I'm not surprised that there's mold in a building. Generally, all buildings have a certain amount of mold."

According to Design and Construction Director Darrin Reazor -- the project manager for the renovations -- the mold developed because of leaks around the hotel windows and increased moisture due to faulty climate-control systems.

"If there's moisture getting in through the walls, it will ultimately have an impact on the integrity of the structure of the building," Fishman said. "Yes, it creates an environment for mold to grow in, but that wouldn't be the only issue behind the renovation."

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