Tenants of Chestnut Square, the premier West Chester apartment complex that opened in 2016, are questioning possible construction-related health hazards, writes Cara Corridoni for Hello, West Chester.
While the complex provides a boutique hotel-style living with exclusive amenities and maintenance-free units near everything residents could want, tenants are worried about what is behind the walls.
Tenants cite flooding, water damage, and mold concerns as ongoing issues.
“The friends we made, the amenities, the location, it’s wonderful, but that doesn’t change the question of how it was built,” said resident Rich Heiland.
Heiland, who moved to the West Chester complex in 2021, is one of at least four Chestnut Square tenants expressing health concerns. Since May 2023, Keith Stonefelt has also experienced multiple floods in his apartment. When maintenance removed the drywall, they discovered what appeared to be mold.
“[Company management] told me they are going to spray for the mold,” he said. “I think they used the word mold.”
Management carried out the spraying, though many tenants were not informed why.
“I’m just so angry,” said Bridget Kelly, a Chestnut Square tenant since 2017. “I’ve paid $160,000 to date to live here. I want to know because I’ve had cancer. Do I need to go and get an X-ray? I don’t think that’s a lot to ask.”
Read more about Chestnut Square and local tenants’ recent health concerns regarding the building in Hello, West Chester.
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