NomLaser
Mechanical
- Dec 6, 2007
- 486
We have had a rash of apartment balconies that aren't passing inspections and the entire building being condemned or just the balconies. This is another complex (I believe it was built by a different company) in this mess.
Condemned apartments force tenants out
Residents have 10 days to move out
Updated: Saturday, 15 Aug 2009, 12:15 AM EDT
Published : Friday, 14 Aug 2009, 4:43 PM EDT
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - A Lafayette apartment complex is condemned because of unsafe balconies.
The balconies are the only way into and out of the Bethany Rose apartments off McCarty Lane. Lafayette building inspectors condemned the structure today and gave residents 10 days to move out. A deadline that residents say is unrealistic.
"I have all kinds of feelings. I have no clue where me and my family are gonna go," said resident Robyn Meyers.
"We've only been here not even a month and now all of the sudden we gotta move," said resident Melvin Mon.
Lafayette building inspector David Redmon was called to the complex to assess the safety of the building.
"I started my investigation on Tuesday and we've acquired all the information that we felt necessary and deemed that it was unsafe structure and that we had to take this action for the safety of the people," said Redmon.
"The balconies are pulling away from the building, members are rotting, the support posts are pulling away. It's just an unsafe situation," said city engineer Jenny Miller.
The city building inspectors only come out to assess apartments it they get permission from a property manager or if a tenant asks the city to come. MiIler said the tenants could have stayed if the unsafe balconies had been discovered sooner.
"If we had been in here earlier we could have probably mitigated some of the problems before it got to this point," she said.
The city has added wooden boards to help keep the building stable and support the rotting balconies that are above us. But city employees said that still isn't enough and the people have to leave.
"It's not sitting right with us. We don't feel it's right," said Mon.
Some residents at the Bethany Rose Apartments said they had no idea the balconies were so unsafe. And now they have no idea where they will go.
"We don't have money like that. It ain't like we can just up and find something like that without money," said Mon.
Miller said the property manager is responsible for helping these residents find a new place to live. Property manager John Howard. said he is working to find residents new homes. But some tenants said they've not been able to get a hold of Howard to find out where they can go.
"All I know is we're part of what everybody else is going through. We got to move. And hopefully they can help us with that," said Mon.
The city of Lafayette will send a structural engineer next week. That person will determine if the building can be fixed. If repairs can be made, tenants could move back in.
Condemned apartments force tenants out
Residents have 10 days to move out
Updated: Saturday, 15 Aug 2009, 12:15 AM EDT
Published : Friday, 14 Aug 2009, 4:43 PM EDT
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - A Lafayette apartment complex is condemned because of unsafe balconies.
The balconies are the only way into and out of the Bethany Rose apartments off McCarty Lane. Lafayette building inspectors condemned the structure today and gave residents 10 days to move out. A deadline that residents say is unrealistic.
"I have all kinds of feelings. I have no clue where me and my family are gonna go," said resident Robyn Meyers.
"We've only been here not even a month and now all of the sudden we gotta move," said resident Melvin Mon.
Lafayette building inspector David Redmon was called to the complex to assess the safety of the building.
"I started my investigation on Tuesday and we've acquired all the information that we felt necessary and deemed that it was unsafe structure and that we had to take this action for the safety of the people," said Redmon.
"The balconies are pulling away from the building, members are rotting, the support posts are pulling away. It's just an unsafe situation," said city engineer Jenny Miller.
The city building inspectors only come out to assess apartments it they get permission from a property manager or if a tenant asks the city to come. MiIler said the tenants could have stayed if the unsafe balconies had been discovered sooner.
"If we had been in here earlier we could have probably mitigated some of the problems before it got to this point," she said.
The city has added wooden boards to help keep the building stable and support the rotting balconies that are above us. But city employees said that still isn't enough and the people have to leave.
"It's not sitting right with us. We don't feel it's right," said Mon.
Some residents at the Bethany Rose Apartments said they had no idea the balconies were so unsafe. And now they have no idea where they will go.
"We don't have money like that. It ain't like we can just up and find something like that without money," said Mon.
Miller said the property manager is responsible for helping these residents find a new place to live. Property manager John Howard. said he is working to find residents new homes. But some tenants said they've not been able to get a hold of Howard to find out where they can go.
"All I know is we're part of what everybody else is going through. We got to move. And hopefully they can help us with that," said Mon.
The city of Lafayette will send a structural engineer next week. That person will determine if the building can be fixed. If repairs can be made, tenants could move back in.
