Twice-evacuated Langford highrise expected to be torn down after years sitting empty

A troubled Langford highrise that has been evacuated twice over structural and life-safety concerns is now expected to be deconstructed.

The City of Langford announced Thursday that it had been notified by Centurion Properties, the owner of RidgeView Place, that the 11-storey building is expected to come down.

The 96-unit rental building at 2770 Claude Road was originally known as Danbrook One and has remained vacant for more than three years.

“This is deeply disappointing news for our community,” said Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson in a statement.

Goodmanson said the loss of 96 rental homes in downtown Langford was not the outcome the community had hoped for, particularly while housing availability remains a challenge for many residents.

The City said nearby businesses and Danbrook Park are not expected to be affected and will remain available for occupancy and public use. There is also no indication of an immediate concern for surrounding properties or public spaces.

However, several details remain unknown, including when the building will be deconstructed and what will eventually replace it.

RidgeView Place has been at the centre of structural concerns dating back to shortly after it opened.

The building received its original occupancy permit in February 2019. That permit was revoked in December of the same year after an independent engineering report identified significant structural non-compliance with the BC Building Code.

Residents were forced to leave while extensive remediation work was completed.

The building was later renamed RidgeView Place and reopened to tenants in 2022 following the repairs.

Engineers and Geoscientists BC subsequently disciplined two engineers involved in its original design.

Brian McClure had his registration cancelled in May 2022 after admitting to unprofessional conduct connected to deficiencies in the building’s structural design.

Theodore Sorensen, who was responsible for designing the building’s core and seismic elements, also had his registration cancelled after admitting to unprofessional conduct involving serious design issues.

Despite the remediation work, residents were forced to leave for a second time on April 24th, 2023.

The City revoked the building’s occupancy permit after receiving information from Engineers and Geoscientists BC about potential structural issues that may not have been addressed during the earlier repairs.

At the time, the regulator said it had received no evidence that a comprehensive review of the building’s structural design or the completed structure had been conducted as part of the remediation.

The building has remained empty since that second evacuation.

The City said it will provide further updates as more information about the deconstruction process becomes available.

The City added that the matter remains before the courts and said it would not comment further.