The City of Greensboro is playing it safe when it comes to the protection of apartment residents who were living in some very bad and dangerous conditions: It has ordered the evacuation and closure of a multifamily housing complex at 830 W. Market St. after city inspectors found multiple building and fire code violations that city officials say pose a serious risk to public safety.
There’s an affordable housing crisis in Greensboro and in Guilford County and that’s leading a lot of area residents to accept living in some very inhospitable housing – but the City of Greensboro has limits as to how bad those conditions can get before city officials step in and tell people they have to leave.
More than 180 residents were affected by the decision – which city officials described as necessary and urgent after inspectors found burned electrical wiring, faulty breakers – along with prior repair work that failed to meet city code requirements.
The property at 830 W. Market St. is a multifamily apartment complex known as The District at West Market. The building, which has been marketed as student-oriented housing, is located near UNC Greensboro, North Carolina A&T State University, and Greensboro College.
The complex has been promoted as off-campus housing and includes furnished residential units and shared amenities. Because of its location and marketing focus, some of the tenants displaced by the evacuation are students or young adults living near campus.
The closure was announced on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
That followed an inspection earlier in the day.
According to the city, inspectors discovered evidence of electrical damage that created a significant fire hazard. In addition to the burned wiring and defective breakers, officials say previous work performed at the property included alterations to fire walls and electrical and HVAC repairs that were completed without the required permits or inspections.
According to a December 16 press release from the city, “The property owner recently contacted an electrician to repair the problems, but upon inspection the company declined to do the work, citing the property was a liability and required a complete overhaul.”
On News 2, City Spokesman Eric Chilton spoke of the highly faulty electrical system and said “It was a miracle that this wasn’t a life-threatening situation.”
The inspection was prompted in part by complaints from tenants, including reports of unstable electrical service.
One of those tenants contacted the city to report that power had been going on and off throughout the complex – with residents sometimes becoming trapped in elevators during outages.
City officials say most of the tenants reported being without electricity for about six days before the evacuation order was issued.
As conditions deteriorated, some residents left the complex on their own to seek alternative housing.
City leaders stated Tuesday that, by the time the closure was announced, only 10 residents remained on site.
Representatives from the Greensboro Fire Department, Greensboro Police Department and the city’s Community Safety Department responded to the scene to assist with the evacuation as well as to coordinate services for displaced tenants.
Representatives from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina A&T State University and Greensboro College were also there to help provide resources and temporary housing options for those still on site.
City leaders emphasized that the decision to close the property was made out of an “abundance of caution” and was done to protect the residents from the threat of fire or life-safety hazards. The city says it’s currently maintaining ongoing communication with tenants while documenting conditions at the property and working to ensure that all actions taken comply with applicable code requirements and due process protections.
The City of Greensboro hasn’t announced a timeline for when, or if, the property can reopen.
Officials have indicated that significant corrective work will be required before the building can be considered safe for occupancy.
The closure adds to growing concerns about aging multifamily housing stock in Greensboro and the challenges that local governments face in balancing tenant safety with the limited availability of affordable housing.
For now, city officials say their focus remains on relocating the displaced residents and addressing the immediate safety risks identified at the West Market Street complex.
Greensboro Building Code officials “Playing it Safe”? Bull! This didn’t happen overnight! Former Mayor Nancy Vaugan’s militia of Law Enforcement officials, Building Code officials, and City Ordinance enforcers have been nothing but a joke for the last 8 years! Just more blood on their hands!
Sounds like the whole joint was trashed.
Damn scott,you scared to name the owner.
scott is not the only local media source not naming the ‘owners’. the name of some unknowable out of state corporation will briefly appear shortly; in the meantime assume skip alston owns it pro forma
Scott who is the owner of record for that property
looks like a guy in charlotte named Todd Pfalzgraf who runs a real estate investment company. He’s been sued by Choice Hotels. Picture of employees looks shady to me.
Way back in the good ole days of Greensboro, that was a nice place. I think it was a Hilton and had great nightlife spot, I don’t remember what it was called. I’m afraid that the good ole days are gone forever
George K’s was on the ground floor I believe back when…
When the Hilton first opened the bar-lounge was called the Underground. It was a great night life spot.
shade is a challenge for photographers
There were police sitting outside and boards on the doors. It felt like people were being kept out of their own homes. If this was an evacuation, I didn’t see a whole lot of physical assistance that one would expect. Any interviews from tenants to see if they felt they were being taken care of?
imagine all the portable, high power electrical stuff that tenants have added to the electric system load since it was built that didn’t exist when it was built ? overloading the electric system was how they heated it ?
Building Code Officials or DEI hires. The city is just trying a CYA for the shoddy job they usually do.
I worry about the college kids who had already gone home for the holidays. I saw bicycles still out on the balconies. Do they know they have no place to live next semester?
I’m old enough to remember when that was a Radisson or Ramada. There was a popular bar in the basement, which was actually one of the few in town during my childhood. A buddy of mine lived there during college, back in like 2001, and I’d visit her when I’d come home from school. I would’ve rather lived on-campus, which is saying something.
elvis presley briefly stayed there so . . . ANOTHER COSTLY MEMORIAL to subsidize