Blizzard Condo Evacuees Still Waiting For Repairs

If Krista Hanniford had curtains in her bedroom she might not have noticed the cracks above her windows and down the walls of her home at the Branford Hills condominiums.

Then a couple of other people in adjoining units noticed cracks in their walls.

Now they’re prohibited from entering their units, which are deemed unsafe by the Branford Building Department as determined by State Building Code Section 115, which governs the determination, reporting and notification of hazardous structures.

The heavy snowfall from last month’s blizzard took a toll on various structures in town, including the six-unit building at 133 Florence Rd. And after a month, the displaced residents are still waiting for repairs.

Hanniford said a contractor for Prime Property Management, the management company, assessed the situation on Feb. 11, and the fire department was summoned soon after. She said four of the units have obvious damage though the contractors who inspected the attics of two of the higher-level units saw nothing. Later Hanniford added that neighbors said their walls are cracked at the corners where they meet.

It did not take long for things to change. Within a day, the cracks worsened and residents of four units, including Hanniford, had to be evacuated; the other residents left the next day.

“I rounded up my three cats (two are fosters), bills, and tax papers,” she said. ​“One of the guys went to a motel.” Hanniford is now staying with her parents. Because of her connections with the Branford Compassion Club, a couple of the cats are staying with a BCC member.

According to a letter sent to residents by Building Official Anthony Cinicola, the ​“roof system and exterior walls are structurally damaged from excessive roof snow loading.”

The letter also said that the ​“dwelling unit is not to be occupied in whole or part without first receiving permission from the Building Official,” and that the “[e]xterior area around Building has been secured and not to be entered, all sidewalks leading to structure have been closed and posted.”

Bulges are apparent in the outside walls.

This limits residents’ access, of course, which is frustrating to Hanniford, who has lived there for 17 years. She believes a volunteer fireman should be stationed there so residents can more easily get to their belongings. Now they only get about a 20 minutes to a half hour at a time to enter the building.

However, Cinicola said that the engineer who inspected the property has ​“grave concerns” and that the situation is not to be taken lightly. He said it’s the same complex where a stone end gable had fallen some time ago. In general, he said its construction is not up to standard, like many of the structures built in town during the condo boom of the ​‘70s and ​‘80s.

“They’re like small cities,” he said. ​“The building department couldn’t keep up with them.” Some are better than others, he said, adding that those built in the last six to eight years are ​“well done.”

Hanniford said the buildings do not have flat roofs and that the roof of her structure was replaced within the last several years.

Cinicola said only one building was affected. Originally constructed as apartments in 1966, approximately half of Branford Hills was changed over to condominiums.

Making the repairs on the building does seem like a lengthy process. Plans must be drawn up and reviewed by the town. Then the project would have to be put out to bid. As of yet, there is no determination of the actual damage or the length of time needed for repairs.

In the meantime, the management company is supposed to be in charge of helping the displaced residents. Hanniford say she is lucky she has a place to stay, adding that the management company offered to put them in touch with the Red Cross. She also has to figure out whether she is responsible for her condos fees of $427 a month and how the displacement will affect her mortgage payments.

After being contacted by the Eagle three times, Marilyn (who did not give her last name) at Prime Property Management had no comment. Prime Property also handles Foxwood Crossing and Cedar Knolls in Branford.

In a recent letter to Cinicola, Prime Property said the condo association will provide construction documents per his request and that it is doing its best to expedite the process with its building engineer. It reiterated that residents are to stay away from Building 133.

Cinicola said 12 other properties around town were affected by the blizzard, including 14,700 feet of greenhouses at Vaiuso Farms, a trailer roof cave-in at 155 Highland Bluff (North Ivy Street), a shed roof at the Greens condominiums, a roof collapse at a vacant building on Business Park Drive, along with some problems with single family houses and businesses. 

###