Mold and leaks may force residents from Woodside Village in Westwood

Leaks and mold concerns have forced Woodside Village in Westwood to offer to move some residents or even let them out of leases at the project, which was developed with millions of dollars in public support.

A message from Woodside Village North LLC that described the problems was posted online by the Shawnee Mission Post.

“In short, our main issue is water infiltration in several areas of the building,” said the message, which included contact information for Woodside business manager Rosie Durkes. She could not be reached immediately.

The message said that mold was detected in a few units and that cleanup was underway or already completed.

Residents who leave their units for cleanup can move to comparable vacant units, a hotel or other Lincoln Property Co. locations, the message said. It also said their rents would be waived and their new accommodations paid for them.

Woodside blamed the problems on its “previous general contractor’s exterior workmanship” but did not identify the contractor. It has hired Neighbors Construction Inc. to do repairs and told residents to expect scaffolding and other disruptions during the work. It hired Titan Environmental Services to test for mold and spores.

Residents who wish to move rather than endure the work have the “option of terminating their lease, at any time during the lease term without penalty,” the message said.

The Westwood City Council gave Los Angeles-based Tanner & White Properties $22 million in tax breaks for the two-phase project at Rainbow Boulevard and 47th Place. It subsequently increased the tax increment financing benefit to $28 million.

Tanner & White had requested additional public support for the second phase of Woodside Village because development costs had increased sharply between approval of the project and development of the second phase.

This story was originally published November 8, 2017 at 10:27 AM with the headline "Mold and leaks may force residents from Woodside Village in Westwood."