Residents of Red Pine Estates ordered to vacate by July 6, structural concerns cited

Jun. 30—BEMIDJI — Residents of the Red Pine Estates in Bemidji will need to be vacated from the apartment complex by July 6 due to concerns about the structural safety of the building.

On June 30, Bemidji Building Official Todd Beito informed the owners of Red Pine Estates, Schuett Companies, of the need for tenants to vacate the apartments, located at 2590 Ridgeway Ave. NW. This order is based on information from two separate structural engineers, according to a release from the city of Bemidji.

In a statement from Schuett, the company reported that it had responded to a concern about the structural integrity of the buildings that comprise the Red Pine Estates and that it has been working diligently with engineers and representatives from the city of Bemidji to determine if the reported concerns were valid.

Both engineers indicated there is no need for an immediate evacuation of tenants at this time, and indicated that they could not make a determination if the building was safe or unsafe.

With this information, the city made the decision to require the tenants to vacate their units. The vacation of the building is required to begin no later than July 5 and must be completed by 4 p.m. on July 6.

"We have begun the process of complying with the city's order," Schuett's release said. "This means we are working with residents to move them out, and will continue to work hard through the Independence Day holiday so the building is vacant by the city's deadline."

Schuett has provided contact information for residents and concerned family members, who can email

redpinesleasing@schuettcares.com

with questions about the move-out process and requests for reasonable accommodation.

"We are deeply saddened by the inconveniences that recent events are causing our residents," the release said. "Our residents' safety is a top priority, so we are going to continue to work with residents and city officials until we are confident that the safety risks posed by the building's structural components have been abated."

According to the city's release, the owners have been working diligently with the city to ensure the safety of their tenants. Due to concerns of added load to the structure of the building, the city is requiring individuals who do not have a need to be at the Red Pine Estates Apartment to not enter the building.