DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — A Delray Beach complex is being forced to make immediate repairs to an unsafe building.
Residents told officials they were worried that their building wasn't safe after the condominium collapse in Surfside, according to the Palm Beach Post.
The Linton Ridge complex near Linton Boulevard and Dixie Highway currently a building with scaffolding stands supporting it.
The owners of this property were forced before a grand magistrate judge on June 25. The Palm Beach Post reported that city staff asked a judge to evacuate the building.
"It was something that was ongoing and just happened to be almost coinciding with the issues that have taken place in Surfside, unfortunately," Delray Beach Mayor Shelly Petrolia said.
The mayor said the commission is not directly involved with code enforcement issues like this, but she was made aware of this complex and the safety concerns.
Residents said the building has had large cracks, and metal stands to support the structure have been in place for almost a year.
Records show code enforcement has asked the landlord to fix the structural issues at the building since February.
The Palm Beach Post reported during the magistrate hearing that the city said the complex showed no urgency to fix the problems.
The judge did not order the building to be evacuated but gave the owners until July 1 to start fixing the issues, with the city checking in every day.
An attorney for the complex is quoted by the Palm Beach Post saying they are taking the situation very seriously.
Neighbors said workers have been adding new plates last week.
Petrolia said what happened in Surfside is generating more attention on cases like this one.
The commission plans to discuss policy changes Tuesday.
"We are limited by what the state will allow us to do, so it is going to involve a better understanding from our legal council as to what steps we can take and what measures we can take that are not currently being taken," Petrolia said.
