IMAGE VIA THE RIALTO FACEBOOK PAGE
According to a report by Central Florida Public Media’s Joe Byrnes, engineers investigating the structural problems at The Rialto (Website) apartments on Sand Lake Road have found the cause for all the hullabaloo: a gap three feet deep and 15 feet wide sitting beneath the building’s foundation.
The mixed-use building at 7343 W. Sand Lake Road [GMap] on Restaurant Row was evacuated on March 19 after residents reported hearing loud popping sounds and found that their doors couldn’t open. More than 300 people were displaced by the incident. An engineer with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, hired by building owner Northland Rialto LLC, has since concluded that the void caused sections of the five-story building’s concrete slab to shift downward. Numerous smaller gaps have also been identified beneath the foundation.
The engineer said the building is not at risk of collapse, but is definitely not safe for occupancy. Only workers involved in the investigation and repair, or those helping residents retrieve belongings, are permitted inside. Orange County’s Building Department has posted “no occupancy” notices and says they will stay up until repairs are completed, inspected, and cleared.
What’s causing the gaps is still unknown. A subsurface investigation is underway and could take more than 60 days to complete. In the meantime, contractors are installing temporary shoring supports to prevent further shifts.
The building’s owner has offered displaced residents $2,000 and help moving their belongings, but only if they agree not to sue. Those who accept the payment also qualify for two months of free rent at other Northland properties. A lawsuit has already been filed on behalf of residents who rejected those terms.
