ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Nearly a month after hundreds of residents had to evacuate their Orange County apartments due to structural issues, repair work is underway at the Rialto Apartments.
Approximately 358 individuals were displaced from the complex located at 7343 W. Sand Lake Road on March 19th after residents reported loud popping noises and cracks that appeared throughout.
Shortly after, the apartments were deemed “dangerous and unsafe for occupancy.”
Channel 9 told you earlier this month that a report submitted to Orange County by engineers reveals the structural damage is the result of a 15 feet wide void that developed under two stacks of apartments in the building.
The report explains that the primary gap is 3-feet deep and opened between the concrete slab propping up the building and the soil underneath two specific stacks, 45 and 47.
While that void is the most significant, engineers identified smaller gaps in several other locations throughout the property.
These secondary gaps range in size from half an inch to four inches.
The loss of support beneath the building caused visible structural issues within the units.
Impacted stacks saw floors begin to slope and the shift resulted in several doors becoming jammed.
A new letter obtained by Channel 9 shows temporary shoring work was completed on Friday to support the building below the concrete slab.
The letter states the property owner hired Helicon USA, a foundation repair company, to support the slab and bearing walls by placing grout below the slab.
According to Orange County, their lead inspector for the site observed that the grouting work was completed on the largest section Friday.
The county’s Division of Building Safety stated, ‘temporary shoring work’ is to ensure no additional settling occurs in the interim between the discovery of the problem and a long-term solution.
The property owner, Northland, a private real estate firm based out of state, says diagnosing a long-term solution is “expected to take at least two months and may extend beyond that as the work progresses. That work must be completed before any remedies can be determined.”
According to Orange County, once that evaluation is complete,a plan will be drafted and permanent work may be permitted for repairs.
Ultimately, a final inspection will be needed before occupancy can be restored by the county.
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