Work to clean up a mold infestation at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa Kennedy Theatre is largely finished, pending results of air-quality testing to be completed next week.

"It looks like the project is right on schedule," said Jim Manke, UH-Manoa spokesman. Work was scheduled to be completed no later than Sept. 30.

As of yesterday, the contractor, Unitek Insulation LLC, had installed several air-quality monitors in the theater's auditorium, said Manke.

Air testing is expected to last a few days and would be followed by a walk-through by contractors and theater management next week.

Unitek was chosen to handle the extensive mold cleanup at a cost of $170,060.

Bids for the cleanup were submitted in August, and officials initially planned to go with the lowest bidder, said Manke. However, the low bidder was unable to arrange insurance bonding, and Unitek, the second-lowest bidder, was chosen.

The project entailed vacuuming the floor and upholstery with a special cleaner similar to that used during asbestos cleanup, said Emma Kennedy, a consultant with UH-Manoa's Environmental Services Office. She has said the infestation was the worst she had seen on the Manoa campus.

The work also included applying a fungicide to wood panels and upholstery as well as chemical dry-cleaning, she said. The air was also filtered by a specialized machine.

If air-quality testing finds the facility safe, the theater would reopen in time for rehearsals of "Battle of Will."

The infestation was discovered in mid-July and led to shutdown of the theater, the campus hub for theater and dance activity, with just a couple of weeks to go until the fall semester began.

The mold was discovered by theater manager Marty Myers. Apparently the mold began to grow after June 24, when the air conditioning was turned off for a week while a fire-retardant curtain containing asbestos was being removed, Myers said.

Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.