The case of an Orange County apartment building deemed unsafe for people to live in heads to court on Thursday morning. The Rialto Apartments were evacuated four months ago after a void opened up under the complex on Sand Lake RoadSome of the people who lived there are suing the apartments’ owners.A lot of them lost thousands of dollars when they had to rush to move out of the building – now Rialto’s owner is trying to get the case moved to a place that could help them.>> MORE: Evacuated Rialto Apartments remain unsafe despite repairs after structural issuesThe apartments were evacuated back in March when people living here heard popping noises. Then some couldn’t open their doors to get out.The building had shifted, so the doors were stuck and first responders worried the building would collapse.Photos from an engineering firm show a 15-foot-wide gap under the building and a mix of grout they pumped into it to try to fill it.Two former residents filed a lawsuit against the owner, Northland Rialto, that could become a residential class action suit.They claim negligence, breach of contract, and failure to meet building codes.In court on Thursday, Northland’s lawyers are asking the judge to move the case from a regular civil court to a business court.That’s a special division in the court system set up to handle complex cases involving contracts and disputes between companies.The company says even though residents are suing them now, the case will really be about assigning blame and liability between companies, over construction or repair defectsThe law firm for the residents believes if the case is moved to business court, it would be more favorable to Rialto’s owner. >> MORE: Inspection report reveals 3-foot deep gap between soil and ground-level at Rialto Apartments
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
The case of an Orange County apartment building deemed unsafe for people to live in
heads to court on Thursday morning.
The Rialto Apartments were evacuated four months ago after a void opened up under the complex on Sand Lake Road
Some of the people who lived there are suing the apartments’ owners.
A lot of them lost thousands of dollars when they had to rush to move out of the building – now Rialto’s owner is trying to get the case moved to a place that could help them.
>> MORE: Evacuated Rialto Apartments remain unsafe despite repairs after structural issues
The apartments were evacuated back in March when people living here heard popping noises. Then some couldn’t open their doors to get out.
The building had shifted, so the doors were stuck and first responders worried the building would collapse.
Photos from an engineering firm show a 15-foot-wide gap under the building and a mix of grout they pumped into it to try to fill it.
Two former residents filed a lawsuit against the owner, Northland Rialto, that could become a residential class action suit.
They claim negligence, breach of contract, and failure to meet building codes.
In court on Thursday, Northland’s lawyers are asking the judge to move the case from a regular civil court to a business court.
That’s a special division in the court system set up to handle complex cases involving contracts and disputes between companies.
The company says even though residents are suing them now, the case will really be about assigning blame and liability between companies, over construction or repair defects
The law firm for the residents believes if the case is moved to business court, it would be more favorable to Rialto’s owner.
>> MORE: Inspection report reveals 3-foot deep gap between soil and ground-level at Rialto Apartments