After years of disrepair, the complex formerly known as Eveningside Apartments now appears up to code.
Columbus Zoning Officer Ken Wiegel, Code Enforcement Officer Derrick Nash, Mayor Robert Smith, City Attorney Jeff Turnage and Chief Operations Officer David Armstrong inspected a sampling of the apartments Monday, months after issuing an abatement order, and found them to “meet the minimum standards.”
In May, the apartments were plagued by faulty flooring, wiring and plumbing problems, peeling paint and pest infestation. When the complex”s owner, Robert Merchant of California Commercial Investors Inc. (CCI Real Estate), was slow to correct the problems, the city issued an injunction to take the matter to court.
However, after visiting a sampling of “six to eight occupied apartments and three to four unoccupied dwellings” Monday, Wiegel said the apartments appeared to be up to code.
He credits Eveningside maintenance man Don Reed and his crew with saving the apartments, which are located in the 800 block of 12th Street North. The council is expected to decide whether or not to proceed with the legal matter in executive session at its meeting tonight.
“They”ve done everything we asked them to,” said Wiegel.
The inspection department maintains a notice with Columbus Light and Water to refrain connecting power to any unoccupied apartment at the complex until it has been inspected. A similar agreement has been reached with Merchant to allow an inspection before renting any unoccupied apartment.
Wiegel said every resident of the complex has been contacted and all but one expressed satisfaction with the repairs. The one complaint, a loose toilet which needed to be tightened to the floor, was addressed immediately.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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