Worst day I ever had exploring the old Lakewood Mall - be careful on the upper floor

Last Tuesday I was checking out the abandoned Lakewood Mall outside of Akron and nearly got trapped on the second level. The floor near the old food court had major water damage that looked solid from above but was totally rotted underneath. I stepped on a spot that gave way about three inches before I jumped back. The whole section had this weird spongy feel to it that I would have missed if I wasn't paying attention. My buddy Dave got his foot caught in a broken escalator gap last month at the same place and tore up his ankle pretty bad. Has anyone else run into floor issues like this or know what to look for before stepping on suspicious spots?

2 comments

2 Comments

martin.paige1mo ago

Wait have you checked the floor with a long pole or stick before walking on it? I read somewhere that urbex guys carry a metal rod to poke the ground ahead of them. The spongy feeling you described is a dead giveaway for rot but you gotta be proactive about it. My cousin works in demolition and he said water damage on upper floors is especially dangerous because the joists can be completely gone while the surface looks fine. Pooled water from leaky roofs sits on the subfloor for years and just destroys everything underneath. The escalator gap thing is also terrifying, I saw a video where a guy fell through one and broke both legs. Honestly I'd bring a piece of plywood or a thick board to lay down as a bridge for sketchy areas. Better to crawl on your hands and knees across suspect spots too, spreads your weight out way better.

wyatt521mo ago

Yeah that's usually for testing ice on lakes not really for floors.