Owner of Newport News condemned apartment owes city $70K in water bills
NEWPORT NEWS — As the residents of a 15-story apartment building moved out under court order Friday morning, a city spokeswoman said the tower’s owner owes the city $70,000 in water bills.
A judge condemned the building Tuesday after the city complained the owner had failed to address a number of problems, and gave residents 48 hours to leave until the problems were addressed.
The building is owned by Seaview Apartments LLC, which purchased the property for $9.3 million on May 20, 2020, according to city documents. Seaview Apartments LLC is listed as inactive, according to State Corporation Commission Clerk’s Information System. The company has not responded to a request for comment.
The property is managed by New Jersey-based BlueRise Group. A person who answered the phone at the company’s number declined give identification when asked about the condemnation.
City spokeswoman Kim Lee said the city has filed more than a dozen charges, due to code violations, against the owner that go back to April. Ten are for neither elevator working, one is for electrical hazards, one for the fire prevention systems not being up to code and the last for a broken vent to the boiler, according to Lee.
The city had said more than 100 units in the building, which is on 28th Street on the waterfront in the city’s Southeast Community, were occupied.
As the court’s deadline approached Friday morning, assistant city manager Alan Archer told residents the city obtained hotel rooms and would provide transportation for residents.
City leadership went into the building to speak with residents about their need to leave after speaking with other residents outside Friday morning.
Other issues the city is
aware of in the structure are water damage, combustible material in the boiler room
and stairwell lighting out of compliance, according to Lee.