Monday April 24, 2023 | LANGFORD, BC [Updated 2:45 pm, April 25, 2023]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The City of Langford has revoked the occupancy permit for a rental building located at 2770 Claude Road (RidgeView Place, previously known at Danbrook One with a previous address of 2766 Claude Road) owned by Centurion Apartment Properties Inc (Centurion) due to ongoing life safety concerns related to the structural design and performance of the building.
This is the second time the City has taken action at this apartment building as a result of serious issues identified by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of BC (EGBC). The 11-storey building saw its occupancy permit revoked the first time back in December 2019 related to seismic construction deficiencies. New tenants were welcomed back in starting April 2022.
Centurion says RidgeView Place offers “sophisticated urban living in downtown Langford” with 8-foot ceilings, balcony/patio, in-suite laundry, and full-sized appliances including dishwasher and microwave. There is underground parking, storage, and bike storage.
Unlike during the Danbrook One problem in December 2019, this time around “the building owner is responsible for providing services necessary to support residents of RidgeView Place during this time”, said a City spokesperson. Evidently that includes moving expenses. | See: letter to RidgeView tenants (April 24, 2023).
An ESS (emergency support services) centre has been activated at Gordon United Church on Goldstream Avenue with cots, coffee and volunteers; to date this service has not been needed by any residents of RidgeView Place, a City spokesperson said April 25.
===== See related =====
- Remaining tenants must vacate Danbrook One says building owner (Jan 16, 2020)
- No set date for safe occupancy at Danbrook One (Dec 31, 2019)
- Danbrook One tenants supported at Emergency Support Centre (Dec 21, 2019)
- Danbrook One tenants supported by GoFundMe campaign (Dec 21, 2019)
- Danbrook One owner is shocked by alleged engineering issues (Dec 20, 2019)
- Langford revokes occupancy permit: Danbrook renters must relocate (Dec 20, 2019)
Second investigation:
Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson held a news conference at 3:45 pm this afternoon at Langford city hall, to announce the occupancy permit revokation.
Today the City of Langford said that on April 17, 2023, the City and Centurion received a letter from EGBC regarding a second investigation into the structural engineer of record for the remediation work undertaken by Centurion.
The letter provides details of a variety of potential structural design issues that may not have been addressed by the original remediation and concluded that EGBC “has received no evidence that a comprehensive review of the structural design of the Building, or of the as-built structure of the Building, was ever conducted for the Remediation.”
It is the obligation of the building owner (Centurion) and structural engineer of record to ensure that authenticated engineering designs and schedules meet the professional standards of EGBC and the BC Building Code.
Local governments across the region and the province rely upon the professional integrity and competencies guaranteed in the professional engineers’, or architects, sign-off for project design and build submissions, often referred to as the “Professional Reliance Model”.
On April 20, 2023, the City notified Centurion of its obligation to:
- Inform residents;
- Provide an authenticated assessment from a third party Designated Professional Structural Engineer, registered and in good standing with EGBC, confirming that the building is safe to be occupied pending the completion of any temporary measures; and
- Conduct a comprehensive Independent structural design review of the building and provide timelines for completion.
Initial visual inspection done:
On April 23, 2023 Centurion reportedly notified the City that a third-party engineering firm had completed an initial visual inspection of the building and concluded that the structure is unsafe.
Occupant safety:
In the interest of public safety, Centurion strongly recommends the evacuation of the building until a more detailed analysis can be conducted, says the City of Langford.
As a result, the City made the decision to revoke the occupancy permit and instructed Centurion to notify residents immediately.
The last time this happened, many residents didn’t leave. The City pulled together a fund to support residents with relocation, helping to cover the cost of moving services and other needs.
Post-remediation occupancy permit:
Had the City been aware that the building structure was unsafe or that the letters of assurance provided by the structural engineer could not be interpreted as assurances of compliance with the Building Code, the occupancy permit for the building, post-remediation would not have been issued.
Goodmanson told media today that an occupancy permit would not have been issued in April 2022 if the city knew then what it knows now.
Potential ongoing life-safety risks:
Centurion began notifying residents of RidgeView Place this afternoon of the latest investigation by EGBC including the potential ongoing life-safety risks at the building. It is recommended that all residents vacate the building immediately. As building owner, Centurion is responsible for ensuring residents have the supports they need during this challenging time.
Updates to tenants:
The City of Langford is posting ongoing RidgeView Place updates on their municipal website.
In a letter to RidgeView tenants dated April 24, 2023 — among other things residents are advised to contact the insurance holder for their residential insurance. The City says some expenses for temporary accommodation and other expenses may be covered by insurance policies.
Residents will be welcome to return to their original unit once the remediation is complete, says the City in the letter to tenants. “If this is something you are considering, please let the site
staff know and we can contact you directly.”
It’s unclear how this episode might impact the premium level or even availability of tenant’s insurance for current or returning tenants, given the engineering status of the building.
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