Newport News condemns complex, orders evacuation

NEWPORT NEWS — The city condemned a downtown apartment building Wednesday and ordered residents to vacate after owners failed to get elevators working and up to code.

Tenants of the Seaview Apartments at 2 28th St. received a letter Wednesday morning stating that they have 48 hours to leave the property. The letter was signed by the city’s director of code compliance, Harold L. Roach Jr.

The city has been working with the complex since at least April to try to bring the elevators up to code, city spokeswoman Kim Lee wrote in an email. There have been several court appearances since then.

The elevator failed a safety test Monday, leaving the 15-story building without any working elevators, according to court documents. A boiler also was not repaired.

The court had ordered the city to condemn the building if its elevator was not in compliance by 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

Lee didn’t know how many people would be affected by the evacuation but wrote that 108 units were occupied.

An online listing indicated rent ranges from $925 for a studio apartment to $1,995 for three bedrooms. Apartments.com said the building is “presently undergoing extensive renovations.”

According to the listing, the property is managed by Bluerise Group LLC. An automated phone message said property management was unavailable Wednesday afternoon.

The Newport News Department of Human Services is providing shelter referrals and resources to displaced residents. Those who were unable to attend Wednesday morning’s meeting can visit nnva. gov/238/Human-Services.