Adrian City Commission extends local state of emergency for Riverview Terrace apartments

Brad Heineman, The Daily Telegram
·3 min read
The Riverview Terrace apartment building in Adrian is pictured July 28, 2022. The city of Adrian has extended its local state of emergency due to the approximately 200 residents of the building who have been displaced after structural problems in the building forced its evacuation July 25, 2022.
The Riverview Terrace apartment building in Adrian is pictured July 28, 2022. The city of Adrian has extended its local state of emergency due to the approximately 200 residents of the building who have been displaced after structural problems in the building forced its evacuation July 25, 2022.

ADRIAN — As the situation with the Riverview Terrace apartments continues to progress, the Adrian City Commission took action at its meeting last week, extending the city’s local state of emergency declaration in response to the displacement of the apartment’s nearly 200 residents.

The extension of the local state of emergency will remain in place for as long as the residents of the apartment building are in between housing arrangements and while the apartments remain classified as condemned and unsafe for occupancy.

The state of emergency will be nullified upon further action taken by the city commission, according to its resolution which was approved unanimously by the commission Aug. 1. Commissioner Kelly Castleberry was absent from the meeting.

The initial declaration of the local state of emergency was signed by Adrian Mayor Angie Sword Heath July 26. It was in effect for one week, but since the situation with the apartment building continues to exist, the extension of the state of emergency was necessary.

By declaring a state of emergency the city could be eligible to receive funding from local, state and federal sources that can assist with the remediation of the apartment building, which was deemed unsafe for occupancy July 25 when a crack in a third-floor apartment was discovered while maintenance crews were replacing carpet in that unit. The residents of the apartment building were evacuated throughout the afternoon of July 25 and have since been placed in area motels and hotels or have found living arrangements on their own.

The apartment building serves people who are 62 or older and the permanently disabled.

Further testing and inspections of the building have resulted in the discovery of more cracks throughout the building. Structural engineers have described the cracking pattern as the wall and the floors separating from one another. All four sides of the building appear to be affected.

It’s unclear to Adrian City Administrator Greg Elliott if the city will receive any funding because of the state of emergency declaration, he said, following last week’s meeting. After the city issued its declaration, the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners and chairman David Stimpson issued a similar state of emergency declaration July 29 for the Riverview Terrace Apartments.

“The county has followed up now and issued their own declaration as of last Friday, Elliott said Aug. 1. “If nothing else, it expresses the urgency of the situation to the agencies. It at least gets us more attention. Whether or not any funds will flow as a result of that remains to be seen.”

The city’s most recent update from Aug. 5 regarding the apartment building said a specialized engineering firm continues to analyze the situation. Indications, however, are that absent substantial repairs, the building will not be ready for reoccupancy because repairs could take months to complete.

“The city of Adrian Emergency Operations Center continues to work with local agencies to assist the residents,” the city’s Aug. 5 news release said.

Residents who are still in need of assistance can call 517-264-6360.

The public is still able to assist those who have been displaced from their homes. Items can be dropped off to Share the Warmth of Lenawee, 427 W. Maumee St., Adrian. Monetary donations to the Lenawee Community Foundation to help meet resident’s needs are being accepted at www.lenaweecommunityfoundation.com. When donating, people should select the “Riverview Terrace Response Fund” designation.

The following items are among the most requested:

  • Gift cards to restaurants and gas stations in Adrian.

  • Individual food items such as pudding cups, applesauce, gelatin desserts, crackers and other snacks.

  • Single-serve drinks such as sports drinks and bottled water.

  • Microwavable, nonperishable foods including macaroni and cheese, rice cups, and pastas with pull-top lids only.

  • Tuna or chicken packets.

  • Paper products — not foam — including plates, bowls and plastic silverware.

  • Items for pets such as dry or wet dog and cat food, bird food, cat litter and litter boxes.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian extends state of emergency for Riverview Terrace apartments