Recent flooding in Loyola Resident Hall caused varying degrees of damage throughout the building. While some students experienced minimal impact, others dealt with significant issues, including water-damaged textbooks, carpets, and floors.
Madelynn York, a first-year Loyola resident on the second floor, had to switch out their dorm furniture due to water damage, including desks and wardrobes.
“They said since we don’t have renters’ insurance, they won’t cover any personal damages,” York said.
In response, facilities and housing staff have been proactive in addressing the situation. “Orders were placed right away,” said junior Madi Wade, second-floor south-side Resident Assistant. “They’ve been checking in regularly. A couple of days ago, the facilities team came by to see if anything else needed to be fixed or cleaned. They’ve been really helpful.”
Still, some long-term effects are becoming more apparent. In one case, a rug was removed only to reveal cracks in the tile underneath. “The floor just cracked, probably from the water damage,” the RA noted. “They had to put in a work order to fix that area, maybe they were re-caulking or replacing tiles.”
While it’s unclear whether similar damage occurred near the elevators, one room close to that area did experience flooring issues.
“They had fans running down the hallway for a while, but they got rid of them Monday,” said Wade. “So I think it’s probably dry by now.”
“Luckily my room isn’t on the side of the building where the flood started, so my room has no damage,” said first-year Loyola resident Alessandra Scrofani. “I know multiple people who had to throw out their rugs that were wet with black water, and whose clothes that were on the floor grew mold from the water.”
According to the students, they used petri dishes provided by their parents to test for mold in their living environment because of all the moisture, “We got a kit from my friend’s parents and tested the air for it,” said York. “We tested our room for mold and it tested positive so we are waiting for our RA to talk to us about that.”
The Mirror has not been able to independently verify the presence of mold in Loyola.
Despite the challenges, residents praised the quick response and ongoing communication from maintenance and housing staff.
“They’ve been checking in and making sure everything’s getting taken care of,” Wade said.